The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-05-07
ALI Maine Asks is Reasonable
Rate and Charges

England Magazine, under the head
ing "What New England Says on the
Proposed Railroad Merger" the
advantages and disadvantages of a
union of the transportation systems
of the section east of the Hudson
River, are discussed by several
gentlemen whose names are well
enough known to give their words
the weight of authority. The question
is undoubtedly one affecting in a
most vital manner the future well
being of Maine and the rest of the
New Eng land states, and the editors
of the magazine evidently planned in
this symposium to have some leading
man, in each of the states most
concerned, set forth his opinion in
the matter. Among the contributors
are Timothy E. Byrnes, vice president
of the New York, New Haven and
Hartford system, Louis D. Brandeis,
prominent attorney of Boston,
Rollin S. Woodruff, governor OF
Connecticut, William E. Chandler,
senator of New Hampshire, and Hon
William T. Haines of WaterYille in
our own state. Mr.. Haines is the
only Maine man to contribute to the
discussion and with the feeling that
our readers will be especially inter
ested in what he has to say on this
subject, we reproduce, from the New
England Magazine, his commune
cation entire.
d. ----e--->. II RI q ne.atnn & Maine
with the New York, New Haven &
Hartford Railroad seems to be ex-
citing a wide interest, and, if we can
Judge from the press, has become
IN Massachusetts political and
economic question of great moment.
In Maine we know little about it, and
are more interested in good service,
at reasonable rates, for transporta-
ton of freight and passengers, than
in any other question pertaining to
railroads.
Our railroad system is made up
from the consolidation of large
number of small roads as originally
chartered. We had our experience
with connecting lines and all the
annoyanees that went with them, and
the consolidation which has given us
through transportation without stop
overs and delays has been hailed
with satisfaction by all of our citizens,
and as shippers of freight and as
travellers we shall be glad of the day
hat RI
out being held up innBoston by the
Armstrong Transfer Company with
an even chance of losing our con-
Meeting train.
The people of Maine will hail the
day when they can go to New York
on one mileage book and make a
claim for lost or gone astray freight
to one company, and not be referred
to two or three. connecting com
panies, upon whom blame may be
laid i'll successive relation, and work
a practical excuse for all.
The railroads are the greatest pro-
perties in our modern industrial life,
and overshadow every other business
in multiplicity OF effects on the
general public, and the puzzling
question of the hour seems to be that
of how they shall be controlled in
their operation and the form of their
ownership. Nothing could be more
unsafe and unfair than the fixing of
arbitrary schedules OF mileage rates
for passengers and of freight rates
by Legislative bodies, where politics
and prejudice necessarily enter into
their determination; and yet nothing
would be more unWise than IT, say
that they should not be under proper
governmental supervision and con-
troll. Reasonable rates and fares are
az necessary TO correct business rela
tions between the railroads and the
public as is the steel over which the
traffic passes. The ideal way of at
tanning the desired end, of reason
able control, seems to be through the
agency of the commission. Only
trained and scientific men are equal
to the intelligent solution of such
problems, men of experience, UNI
doubted integrity, and conversant
with the needs of both the railroads
and the public, and with eyes single
to justice for both. A railroad starts
with a governmental charter or per
nit, by which the public makes over
to the corporation certain of its
natural rights, not primarily for the
benefit of the railroad corporation
alone, but for the mutual advantage
of all.
The money with which the railroads
are built comes from the public
through the sale of stock and bonds.
The stock controls the whole and is
generally controlled by a few in
dividuals, and their actions should
necessarily be under the reasonable
control of the public through a proper
governmental agency. The bonds
furnish the greater part of the capt
tai used III these properties and they
find their market through the instru-
mentality of the savings banks and
insurance companies, where the
peoples savings are deposited and
held. Without these savings, our
great railroad systems would have
been impossible; but the card holders
have little or no voice in the manage
ment of the roads. Hence, there is
all the more need for reasonable
governmental control Indeed, it
may be said at the present time that
the people have always owned the
railroads. In the State of Maine, out
of SS5, 900, 900 deposited i'll our savings
banks, sal 900, 600 is invested in raft
road securities About two hundred
and twenty thousand of our people
have their money in these properties,
and about five million people in the
savings banks Of New England have
about five billion dollars in railroad
securities; while eighteen million
people holding insurance policies in
America have an interest in our rail