The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-20
THE BOSTON AND MAINE MERGER


 commission of commerce and indus try on the proposed merger of the Boston and Maine railroad company with the New Haven railroad com pany as written by the majority of the 1 commissioners might have been pen ned by a Connecticut board of in- quiry, so closely does it fit into the home view of public service legisla- tion. Aside from the approval given the proposed merger by three of the five commissioners, 1t Is interesting to observe that the merging railroad is referred to constantly in the report as The New Haven company" a Wei come classification which should not be lost upon those who are searching about for a new title for the road to take the place of the present cumber- that in the popular phraseology of the day the company Is known every where as The New Haven company.
 From a Connecticut point of view 1t has been incomprehensible from the first that the state of Massachus- etts should withhold its assent to the proposition. It was originally ap- proved by the stockholders, who de- sired to be rid of their holdings, it was approved by the officials and di- rectors of the Boston and Maine, who felt themselves hampered by the laws of that state, and it appealed strong ly to the shippers and citizens of the commonwealth, who saw in the mer- ger new industrial future for that section of New England. What had to be done. however, was the conver- sion of the prejudiced to view which favored the act of merging, and as that seemed an impossible task from the standpoint of the general assem- bly the job was let out to a commits sion. The principal criticism which can be fairly laid at the door of the majority commissioners is that they conducted their inquiry in a secret manner It is true that they withheld nothing from their voluminous and in- structive report, but their manner of working does nevertheless give those who care to indulge in suspicion their opportunity. Both of the minority commissioners, former Governor Douglas and MT. Crozier, have seized upon it and in language more de- magogical than argumentative mak. the most of it. No greater mistake can be made by public body than to seek its information, which can only be good for the public at large when collected. in a secret manner. By abandoning a similar method of inquiry, the Connecticut commission on public utilities has raised itself immensely in general esteem. The people now know what that commits sion is in search of. which is what the people of Massachusetts should J,oro l,,,ou-,,
 The argument by which the major ity are led to a favorable conclusion is logical and impressive. The New Haven company is New England concern having all of It's interests locked up in the prosperity of New England. It is not competing road as regards the Boston and Maine; it is a connecting road and merger under those conditions becomes de- sirable. It would be undesirable in the highest degree to have the con trol of the Boston and Maine pass into the hands of the New York Cen tral, whose vaster interests are out side of New England, or into the hands of a corporation of foreign birth. The monopoly argument which Former Governor Douglas and Mir. Crozier raise with such amusing em- phasis is disposed of effectually by the simple statement of fact, that 8 railroad is a monopoly subject to pub lie control and that any other view of it clashes with the best experience of the country. All this talk about the viciousness of private monopoly. to which candidates for public office per iodically subject us, when applied to the adequate control of railroads by competition is, not to be disrespectful tommy-rot The slightest consdera- tion of the subject shows that the al ternative is either a return to former conditions, which is an impossibility, or government ownership. which has not appealed to the judgment of the American people. Nor should the fact be lost sight of that the continued independence of the Boston and Maine. were that conceivable, would still represent the hateful principle of private monopoly. The people of the state of Massachusetts, acting through