Bisbee daily review., 1909-02-21

ger fare. fl the roads would have re sisted it. but it would have had the effect of frightening investors whose confidence the roads must enjoy. It concession which as we have pointed would have destroyed the spirit of out is our only relief. in the absence "T failure of action by the interstate commerce commission
 there is now railroad legislation pending. which we understand may De succeeded by other O. a character 'ybich, under the terms Of a proposed @amDromise will be less objectionable to the railroads. in that 1t will be less disturbing to investors. We also un. derstand that the proposed legiclation Will consist in rart of a commission. bill somewhat different from either of those BOW pending.
 However satisfactory such a bill will be to the railroads, 1t will be creditable. neither to the good judg- ment or honesty of the legislature nor 10 the territory. and 1t will add to the burden of taxpayers by just as much as may be appropriated to carry the law into effect.
 We do not believe that the tax payers want fat but useless jobs created. for, as every Intelligent mem bers of the legislature knows. any commission that would be created would be powerless to affect rates or to collect any information which the roads would not willingly diyulge 10 a board of trade. m association of sh'nrers and merchants or to an in- diyidual shipper. It is plain that the le egiSlature can delegate to no body a Tower already solely invested by the federal laws with the interstate com nlerce commission
 Such territorial commission might be made uD Of honest and cap ahie wen. It wnIld still be powerless. It might develop that Its members were mountebanks. demagogues or grafters and then 1t would be worse than useless. Demagogues, grafters and mo"ntebanks would naturally be the earliest and most active candi- dates for annointmenr.
 Tt is admitted. We believe, that the commission could do nothing but present complaints to the interstate commerce commission. Could the com mission do that better than a private shiprer or board of trade? Would not the latter. a legitimate organiza- ton. command greater respect than a commission which would be a monu- ment to the folly of the legislature which created 1t? A reflection upon the intelligence of the territory?
 This is our main objection tn a territorial railway commission which, now that statehood Is pending, might raise q reasonable doubt of our can ability of governing ourselves. Our objection on account of the useless expenditure of s15,0O0 a year Is a minor one. The lnss of that sum would hardly be felt by the taxpay- CTS.
 We have already done enough fool. ish things within the last month 10 make more difficult our admission to statehood. The memorial in relation 10 the agreement of the reclamation service with the Pacific Gas and Elec- tTic company, attacking a contract with which fOur-fifths of the members Cf the legislature were not familiar. and which had the approval of the reclamation service. the attorneys Of the Water Users association, the in- terior department and its legal advis- CTS, must have given the senate the impression that something was the matter with Arizona
 "The Republican has DO intt-est in any corporation. It's interest is bound up entirely with those of Arizona, with those of the merchants and farm CTS and labOring men of the Salt Riy. CT valley. Those interests cannot be served by a reputation for doing use less and foolish things"