The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-09-24

fstration in which he has played so con-
spicuous a part has done. But to Illus
trate Just what his attitude Is let me
touch on two matters now prominent In
the public mind.
Mr. Taft can be trusted to exact Justice
from the railroads for the very reason
that he can be trusted to do justice to the
railroads The railroads are the chief In
Struments of interstate commerce in the
country, and they can neither be held TO
q proper accountability on the one hand
nor given proper protection on the other
save by the affirmative action or the red
eral government. The law as laid down |
by the federal courts clearly shows that |
the states have not and cannot devise
laws adequate to meet the problems caus-
ed by the great growth of the railroads /
doing an interstate commerce business
for more than four-nfths of the business
of the railroads Is interstate, ana under
the constitution Of the United states only
the federal government can exercise con-
troll thereover. 1t Is absolutely necessary
that this control should be affirmative and
thoroughgoing.
All Interstate business carried on by the
great corporations should in the interest
of the whole people be far more closely
supervised than at present by the national
government, but this is especially true OF
| the railroads, which cannot exist at all
| save by the exercise of powers granted
| them on behalf Of the people and which,
| therefore should be held to a peculiar ac-
| countability to the people. 1t is in the in
| terest of the people that they should not
| be permitted to do injustice, and 1t is no
i less to the interest of the people that they
i should not suffer injustice Their prime
| purpose Is to carry the commodities OF the
/ farmers and the business men. They could
| not be built save for the money contrib
| uted to them by their shareholders. They
could not be run at all save for the money
paid out in wages to the railroad employ
| ees and finally they could not be run Ju-
| diciously or profitably to any one were II
| not for the employment by them Oh some
| masterful guiding intelligence. whether OF
| one man or of group of men. There are
therefore several sets of interests to be
considered. Each must receive proper con-
sideration, and when any one or them
selhshly demands exclusive consideration
the demand must be refused. Along GER
tain lines all OF these groups have the
same interests. 1t is to the interest," OF
shipper farmer, wageworker, business
| man. honest shareholder and honest man
| ager alike that there should be economy.
| honesty, intelligence and fair treatment OF
all. To put an effective stop to stock wa
| tering would be q benefit to everybody
| except the swinders who profit by stock
| watering 1t would benefit the honest
| shareholder because honest investments
| would not be brought into competition
with mere paper 1t would beneht the
wageworker because when the money
earned does not have to go to paying IN
terest on watered capital more or 1t Is
left out of which to pay wages. 1t Woulo
benefit the shipper because when only
, honest stockholders have to be paid inter
| est. rates need not be improperly raised
, | 1t would benefit the pubic because ther'
| would be ample money with which 10 give
, | efficient service. Similarly the prevention
/ | of fayortism as among shippers does M
r | damage to any one who Is honest ana con
| fers great good upon the smaller buslnes
, | man and the farmer, whom 1t relieves o
| oppression.
: Again, such supervision of accounts ant
r | management as will prevent crookednes
| and oppression works good, directly OF IN
. | directly, to all honest people Therefor
n | everything that can be done along al
l. these lines should be done, and no man
q legitimate interest would thereby be hur'
But after this point has been reache
n ! great care must be exercised not to Wor
/ | Injustice to one class in the effort l
q | show favor to another class, ana eac
9 | class naturally tends to remember onl
"a its own needs. The stockholders must re
r | ceive an ample return on their mVes,
1
N | and successfully maintained. and Oth
80 | rates to shippers and the wages to en-
- | ployees, from the highest to the loves
10 | must all be conditioned upon TINS rae
- | On the other hand. in public serve
a | Corporation we have no right to allo
a. such excessive profits as VIII necesslta
81 rates being unduly high and wages I'll
IL duly low, Again, while in all proper wa!
80 rates must be kept low, We must alwa!
" remember that we have no right and !
y Justification to reduce them when the +
80 | suit is the reduction of the wages OF u
"a | great army of railroad men. A falr wor
~ ing arrangement must be devised accor
- ing to the needs of the several cases.
I that profits wages and rates shall ea
.t | be reasonable with reference to the Qth
,I two, and in wages ] include the proper
10 large amounts which should always
~ paid to those whose masterful ability
- REQUIRED for the successful direction
aH great enterprises. Combinations whi
ho favor such an equitable arrangehle
~ should themselves be favored and Il
forbidden by law. although they shol
l.. be strictly supervised by the governme
~ through the interstate commerce comm
. sion. which should have the power
~ passing summarily upon not only
ne | question Of the reduction, but the raisi
nd Of rates.
.ht This railroad problem Is itself one
, the phases OF one of the greatest
~ most intricate problems of our civili
ar ton For its proper solution we need
da. merely honesty and courage. but Jul
nm ment. good sense and entire fair mind
ness Demagogy In such a matter Is
,th fertain to work evil as corruption Its
AZ. The man who promises to raise the wa
We of railroad employees to the highest pc
'rt. and at the same time to reduce rates
IN. the lowest point IL pPomisinG what !
"a ther he nor any one else can perfo
'"N and il the effort to perform 1t were
,h,s tempted disaster would result to
nf ehlppeF any Wase"O - s' Oa,,,trv
~ man to trust In such a matter as thi
ho the man who, like Judge Taft. does
,,n promise too much, but who could not
~" ~