Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-11-27


that leading railroad com panies would
make changes 10 passenger fares which
would advance the cost of travelling. 1t
is probable that these advances will be
temporarily held up by the authorities,
but it is reasonably certain that event.
ually, either fares, freight rates, or both,
will be advanced. 1t has been very
plain for a number of years to those
with more foresight than hindsIght,
that the legislatures we're bringing in
creased costs to the people. The people
demanded revenge on the carrying
roads for real or fancied injuries. and en-
couraged the placing on the corpora
tions of every increasing financial bur-
den, seemingly oblivious to the fact
that in time, the people must pay all
these burdens or do without proper and
essential travelling facilities.
In addition to the increased cost Of
doing business, which would normally
have come to the railroads, just as it
came to individuals, they have had ex-
penses abnormally increased by legisla-
ton, and at the same time they have
bettered their service to the public In
many ways.
Let us take the "fulI crew. law en-
acted Ia this state in 1918. That law
was not demanded by any farmer or
business man, but was advocated solely
by labor union interests to make more
jobs at good wages, or in other words,
to give more men employment than the
roads were employing. The Legisla-
ture passed the law under pressure, as
political move to retain the labor union
vote. The law added a tremendously
increased cost to the roads, but, we be-
lleve, 1t has been shown absolutely be-
yond convincing proof to the contrary,
that the law has compelled the roads
to employ thousands Of men who are
not needed, either from the standpoint
of safety In moving trains, or to pre-
vent overworking of crews.
That law was a bad one. 1t was one
OF the many straws which have been
breaking the cancels back. It was bad
for members OF labor unions as a whole,
as well as all others, because those MEM
bers must travel to aud from their work
or elsewhere, and must eventually pay
more fares because of the full crew law.
To force a corporation or an individual
by law, to employ more men than
natural conditions warrant, is making
expensive operation and waste, legal
and compulsory. Such unfair la ws are
bound to bring about q burdensome re.
action on the people as a whole.
The Full crew" law is only one of
numerous enactments which taken to-
gether. are largely responsible for the
necessity for higher freight and passen-
ger fares, and these ad are nee
essary unless we intend to force the
roads into bankruptcy.
The shortsighted public has wanted
the railroads to pay pretty nearly all the
public taxes in order that individuals
might escape the burden. These taxes,
however, must eventually be paid by
individuals In higher rates. We were
not SO smart as we thought when we
loaded the burdens on the t%ransporta-
ton companies. We should not blame
these companies for wanting to advance
rates. 1t Is a necessity now, and we,
the people, are partly responsible. We
shot at them and the ball is rebounding
and will hit us. Natural laws which
man cannot violate without being pun
lshed, have been set aside by our legis-
~latures, and we must pay the penalty.
If all the bad managing and crimes
charged against the railroads in the
past are true, that does not lessen the
responsibility of the public. The crimes
complained of have long ago been abol-
ished and the corporations guilty have
been made to atone. They are
surrounded by rigid restrictions now,
which almost take the management of
the properties out Of the control of the
owners. The danger that these restric-
trictions, controlled largely by politics,
will tremendously increase fare and
freight charges to patrons, is alarming.
At present the people should aim to
prevent the ruin of the railroads by law.
That's a present duty which directly or
indirectly interests every man, woman
and child In this country.
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK LAW
The Federal Reserve Bank law went
into full effect last Monday when the
twelve Reserve Banks opened for BUSH
ness. The more than 1000 member
banks transferred a part Of their re-
serves to the designated Federal Banks
on hat day. There have already been
a number Of puzzling rulings and sug-
noaffova from w aehinOfon Tho FORM