The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-21

while, and Will be made TO Dr1ng lts proper re-
turns because it has been paid for, because 1t
costs money, because it is an investment.
We want 10 see hundreds of miles of good
roads in Virginia. We want to see them cost
millions of dollars. We want none of them with
out price
Let these economic editions of Mulberry
Sellers shut up on their prattle of Roads With
out Money. We want roads that are worth
what is paid for them--and we want the best.
IGNORING THE INTERESTED PARTY.
We wonder if tho railroad interests which in
spired the dispatch from New York intimating
that IN agreement" is to be reached by the
Western railroads and the protesting shippers
whereby the roads, in order to prevent curtail-
ment will be permitted to raise rates, realize
the outrage contemplated by such programme.
II is stated that negotiations looking to this end
have been opened by George w. Perkins, of Pier
pont Morgan and Co., and that the shippers are
beginning to sec reason. Thus influenced, it
is stated that representatives of the shippers,
who filed the complaint, resulting first in gov
eminent action and then in compromise where
by the railroad bill was permitted to pass with
the Immediately effective provision giving the
interstate commerce commission supervision over
rates. have been again comforting with the Pres
ident looking to withdrawal of their protest.
While the dispatch holds confident note, it is
evident that it is put forth more as a test of
public opinion than as statement of any tangi-
bic condition change i'll the situation
An analysis of this proposal shows only one
accustomed omission of interested parties. Where
do the people "come in! The shippers felt
aggrieved. They raised clamor and opened
the yees of the Government to what they con-
sidered an actual abuse incidentally, the roads
had undertaken to act in an illegal manner by
combining for the purpose of attaining higher
rates. Hearkening to the shippers, the Govern
ment acted under the Sherman law. Now the
shippers arc said to be in more amiable frame
of mind. In some way they have been placated
by the railroads. Therefore, it is proposed, to
do WHAT To permit the roads not only to raise
the rates i'll the manner originally decided upon,
but to at the same time release them from the
operation of the statute resulting from the mis-
carriage of their plans.
In this equation what becomes of the hum
dreds on hundreds of thousands of final pur-
chasers, of ultimate consumers, from whose
pockets is paid the ultimate price of increased
cost of transportation BY what authority do
the shippers presume to withdraw" their com
VINO CONSTITUTE Out SIudlI pTOpOTlloH VI
the people affected by the rates! On svhat basis
of egotism does Mr.. Perkins (even as the repre-
sentative of Mr.. Morgan) place his right to in
tervene as arbitrator between the Government
and the railroads, while ignoring the party most
at interest! And even if the parties consisted
only of the railroads and the shippers, but the
issue was the lawfulness or unlawfulness of the
railroads act, what power would these parties
a. A
the Government, directly or indirectys
1t would be well if in this matter care be
taken to discriminate, in the interest of the real
facts in the case, between the partisan discussion
as to whether rates are now high enough, or
whether conditions warrant their increase. That
is the question for decision, but it is entirely
apart from the question involved in the orig
inal controversy.
Whether their proposed action right or
wrong the RAILROADS attempted to take it in an
Illegal way. When, looking TO the result, the
shippers proceeded to ask an enforcement of the
law, they removed themselves as party and
substituted the Government in their place. They
now have no shadow of right or power to In
fuence the withdrawal of the suit, or to qualify
the terms of the compromise by which it is agreed
the suit shall be withdrawn. President Taft, in
agreeing to withdraw the injunction, agreed to
do so only when the roads agreed on their part
to permit the injunction to remain practically
in effect by consenting not to raise rates until
their reasonableness should be inquired into.
Now that law has been passed providing the
method whereby the merits of the original con-
troversy shall be determined, it seems the height
of impudence that the railroads and shippers
should 60 into corner and attempt to make a
trade outside the record and between Themselves
"a trade, TOO, in which the real parties at in
terest are to be denied either voice representa-
ton.
POLICIES MADE SHIPWRECK. >.
VI Rnhsevelf in seren Years and TAFT in q wear