Arizona republican., 1911-12-03

use and circulation many millions of
 dollars. says the Christian Science
 Monitor. The obstacles alluded to
 are the timidity of capital and hostile
 state legislation. In some of the states
 this hostility has practically stopped
 all railway construction. It is un-
 necessary to say that the timidity
 or capital is not due wholly to what
 the states may have done or threaten- cd To do in the way of passing un- favorable railroad legislation. but is
 attributable fully as much to the un- certain attitude for a time of the federal government toward those in- dustries.
 Now it is q significant circumstance that President George A. Post of the Railway Business association has re- gently discovered that there has been
 marked change in the attitude of the
 state legislatures in the last year to-
 ward the railroads. He finds, for
 instance, that some states which have
 been conspicuous for drastic railroad
 legislation are now beginning to en-
 courage the investment of capital
 within their borders in railroad eX-
 tension and improvement. In 1911,
 according to President Post. 24 states
 adopted little or no railroad legisla-
 ton. Moreover. it seems from the
 data at hand to be the fact that the states which had through years been
 the most active in passing hostile
 legislation have in the last year nearly or completely abandoned any further attempt unduly to restrict or hamper the railroads and are disposed i to deal fairly and even liberally with l them.
 Some will be certain to attribute | this change to what they may call | inevitable reaction, to be swinging i back of the pendulum; but there is another and a better explanation to he offered for it. The states in the last year or two have found themselves as regards railroad disci- binary processes by the interstate commission. They have 4 found that this body. directly or in directly. by actual interference or through the diffusion of n wholesome
 has been able to accomplish by systematic regulation what the states have failed to do by hostile and drastic legislation. In truth. little has been accomplished by force; a change in railroad manage nent, in the attitude of the railroad tO the shipper the pass enger and the public has been brought about by moral suaSion. The rail- 'oads in interstate business have been made to see that square dealingN with he public is the best policy; the rail- 'oads in interstate business have been made to see that this policy would be best for them also; the public has been less discontented. more disposed to be liberal toward the com non carriers; the politicians have dis 'overed that the anti-railroad cry has eased to be strong political capital. he legislatures have become sympa- hetic with the changed attitude of popular opinion, and the railroads nave been left freer to work out their along purely business lines. That the commissions decisions on ates have not always been satisfac- ory to the roads or approved by opinion, and that it's rul- ngs, always subject to judicial re- -ision, may sometimes be modified, loes not affect the main proposition, hat the commission has proved it. elf to be generally efficient as a gov rnmental agency. and especially so n the matter of restoring quiet and confidence in great industry and mOng those concerned in it.
 This is the situation. The railroads Ire no longer a factor in political dis .ussion There is no longer an out ny against them. They have been seasoned with successfully by an agency of the people organized for he purpose and known as the inter ;tate commerce commission. fact which leads many thinking people tO believe that through q similar agency s to be found an equally satisfactory alLlt i1hn .f th. tI.lIsf urnhl.nl