The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-28
Tine Significance OF Some Of the
Proposed Railroad Legislation.

The Significance OF Some Of the
Proposed Railroad Legislation.
The most conspicuous feature OF the
railroad bills now before tho Congress
n the tremendous increase OF power
that they will give the Interstate Com
merce Commission II enacted The
original interstate commerce act was
designed only 90 apply the common law
90 which the railroads were subject IN
their intrastate activities 20 their inter-
state performances. Il was intended
that the commission should make inve~-
LEGATIONS and conduct prosecutions to-
ward the doing away with rebates and
unjust determinations. Nineteen years
afterward, by the Hepburn law OF 1905,
6he commission was authorized 90 pre-
scribe a specific rate in case il found a
fAte complained Of 20 be unreasonable
IL IL now proposed TO give the commits
sion well nigh absolute power over
rates. through routes, the prices nj
which railroad bonds may be issued,
and other matters which have long been
considered 10 be incident 70 corporate
administration under the corporate
charters.
These departures are radical
Before the use Of steam a. power
there was not the conveyance Of raw
material Of various kinds from different
points OF the compass over long dis
tances 20 be wrought at a great factory
into finished product. Manufacture
mostly meant the handiwork Of the arti-
san, ard by far the greater number 81
articles used in a community were made
by artisans Of the community. The
production Of the material and Of the
finished article went hand by hand.
q continuing process. transportation
over considerable distances was mainly
Of Injuries; transportation was not an
inherent part Of manufacture.
Not until well in the nineteenth CEN
fury had traffic developed in that vol ,
ume which conduces IN the benefit Of
the masses OF the people. The station
airy engine made possible the mill and
the factory in which merchandise is
produced in increasing quantity, and
the locomotive engine made possible
the segregation Of material from afar
at mill and factory: IL made possible the
pouring in Of raw material in great
quantities, the taking out Of finished
product To distant communities. Trans
portatiOn became no longer a casual,
occasional and separate incident but a
process interviewer with and insepara-
bic from the processes of manufacture,
and in this time Of the localization Of
Industries il became IA never before a
function Indispensable 10 the d-tribu-
ton Of the products Of these industries
throughout the nation.
Before the days Of steam, when each
community in greatest measure sup
Piled it, own needs and the trnnsJorta-
don ~ commOdities was casual and
occasional. the highways were regarded
IN much the same light ~ the streets
Of CITY. that is. as thOrOughfares for
the benefit ~ the community which
each community. municipality, province
or nation, "a the case. might be. was
bound IN maintain. Transportation was
q certain factor in such industry and
commerce a. then existed. but il was
not an integral and essential part Of
material existence, A. now. In greater
degree Il served for the post and for
travel, ninistering perhaps moro TO the
political than 70 the material status.
In tho United States railroads have
been built in greatest measure by cor
porate capital. Al tho present time
their ownership IL vested almost en-
tirely in corporations whose shares and
securities are held nv hundreds Of thou
sands Of individuals and institutions.
Their charters accord them the right 10
make rates for transportation. subject |
IN many cases IN specified maxiTna, and
In all cases IN the common law dictum
that their rates shall be reasonable.
The industry and commerce Of this |
country n now in greatest measure CON |
Quoted by corporations whose shares
and securities sre held by hundreds Of 1
thousands Of individuals and institu- |
toni. The prices for their products are
determined by the play Of economic
forces.
Into the cost of barrel 81 -four on
terS not only proportion 81 the wages |
ofthe workers IN the flour mill the main |
tenance 81 the mill. and return on the
capital invested in IT, but 81 the wage Of \
the employees Of IN. railroads that
transport the wheat 10 IN" mill. Of the .
maintenance 81 IN" railroads. Of the re- /
turn on the capital invested IN them and
the return u the farmer who rai-o,I the
wheat. Into the cost ~ a ton If steel
likewise enter proportions 81 the wages
Of the workers in the steel mill. its main
tenance and return on capital. the wages .
Of the employees ~ tho transportation
agencies, the maintenance ~ the~a
agencies and the return on tho capital /
And 30 also throughout nj! industry and |
al commerce.
Now the wages 81 workinEmen are
'6Stsrmined in the long run By tho work;