The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1909-06-03
Special Correspondence.

4 body Of business men, assembled
in St. Louis recently, cheered tn
suggestion of the president of the Busi
ness Mems League that the railroad
are being prosecuted; that anti-railroac
agitation should cease; that these high
ways of commerce and travel should
have fair deal from the people, etc.
etc. The speaker, who was champion.
ing the causes of the railroads, made
the impression that Governor Hadley
IS responsible for the agitation and the
litigation which now troubles the mana
gers Of the railroad systems doing buis-
ness in Missouri. Though a Demo
crat and naturally disposed to feel that
a Republican governor should be
criticised, if not condemned, the
speaker claimed that he was not speak
ing as a partisan, and his remarks were
cheered by his business friends with
out regard to political considerations,
and, in all charity it may be said, with
out regard to the facts involved in the
statements made.
What is the policy Of the Republi-
can governor toward the railroads?
It is simply to secure for the people
of Missouri the same treatment by
railroads operated in this state which
they accord to the people Of other
states in which they operate.
Is that unfair? IS that persecution?
Is that IN anywise oppressive?
From the beginning Of the present
agitation Governor Eadley has merely
sought to enforce the laws Of the state
applying to the charges and the ser@-
ice OF railroad companies. When the
acts OF the Legislature were suspend
ed by federal court against his pro-
test and at the instance of the railroad
companies, he demanded Of them that
they make no discrimination in their
freight and passenger charges against
the people in Missouri; that they ac-
cord the NIissourians fair deal; that
they permit the people Of this state to
travel On lines operated within the state
as cheaply as they permit people Of
adjoining states to travel on their lines;
that they charge no more for hauling
the products Of the citizens Of Mis-
souri to market OF for transporting their
freight than is required Of the citizens
of adjoining states under similar con-
ditions; and he sought an agreement
with the managers OF the railroads
along such lines. 10 ee.eets>at wss
reached, and he had to apply to the
state courts to restrain the railroad
companies from perfecting an agree
ment or entering into conspiracy to
fix discriminating and unfair rates for
passenger and freight traffic pend
ing the controversy in the Supreme
Court of the United States over the
validity of the state laws determining
railroad rates. The suit which he
caused to be entered estopped the
conspiracy and made it necessary for
each railroad to determine for itself
what rates shall be charged under the
maximum fixed by the old railroad laws.
That much accomplished the governor
reid upon the Legislature, then in
session, to enact laws under which the
state might determine the rates OF pas
senger and freight transportation, but
the railroads maintained a powerful
lobby at the capital and defeated every
proposition under consideration for
regulating the rates and the service Of
railroad corporations.
Ought he now surrender to the rail-
roads and cease his Efforts TO protect
the interests OF the people who elect
ed him governor and who look to him
TO represent them IN all such matters?
Would the prosperous business mer Of
St. Louis have the governor of the
! GREAT c+.+e of Missouri throw m his
hands, call off the battle and let the
railroads charge the people of Mis-
souri more than they charge the peo-
pie Of adjoining states jor the same
identical service as common carriers?