The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-10-13

mittod to gradually absorb those func-
tions formerly exercised by the states
Il will oniy be n question OF time until
some great evil will demand some
great remedy. Agitation win follow
agitation. There will be no oppor-
tunlty to try out the new proposal;
the nation as a whole must adopt II or
| reject u.
I'VE believe the federal plan. as
conceived by our fathers. Is better
than the new nationalism. W. believe
the states are a distinct factor In our
scheme OF government.
This federal plan Is a sort Of safe
~ valve against political and indus
trial revolution; and II In the greatest
ever devised by the makers Of gov
eminent"
Tracing the history Of railroad reg
u%lation. MIR. Thorne pointed out that
practically every important advance
step In the regulation OF railroads.
corporations and great consultations
OF our generation has originated with
the states and called attention TO the
4 establishment Of state railroad COM
missions with power TO Fix maximum
rates In 1887, seventeen years before
the same power was granted to the
Interstate commerce commission
'As one state after another finds
the action OF treir neighboring COM
monwealth TO be wise and good" he
said, they have followed her, and
adopted similar provisions. In this
way progress or reform IA gradually
brought about In the nation as a
whole. The states sorm n sort OF ex-
pertinent station. and where they have
Rope wrong the courts are quick %
check them, or there II developed a
tremendous public sentiment IN the
country as a whole which quietly de-
stroys that which is not wise.
In view Of the remarkable history
OF the origin of these movements II Il
little wonder that the carriers are ex-
tremely soiicitous In their efforts "a
prevent and t. remove the possibility
OF further advance steps Ia the diff.
fcrcnt states"
Answering the argument that th'
railroad transportation business is OF
such "A national character that Il re-
quires a single national tribunal e
regulate II, Mr.. Thorne said.
cone sentence will contain an an.
i 9hfA W AAAAAAN W hNAN ~ AAN
II Is difficult to separate the expenses
on local and through hauls. Even AT,
ter you have removed the state linei
the problem of reasonable local rate,
still remains.
The real issue is practical" NJ
said, rather than theoretical in char
actor. II Is not whether we shall
abolish an state regulation. but. in
stead. whether this or that ia a propei
function TO bee performed by tbs state
Il is a wholly new and unheard o
proposition to do away with state reg.
ulation This iE "A doctrine that jeop.
ardizcs our institutions.
The great benefit urged on behalI
OF exclusive national control Is uni
formity. hut there Is something ever
better and more important than vi
formity and that Is wise regulation
Rates may be uniformly high or uni.
formly low. Rules OF service may b,
uniformly harsh and rigid. or uni
farmly lax and weak. Proof that the,
are uniform does not prove that the!
are just.
The real problem is how to ge
wise regulation. VIII a strong cen
t~rallzed government bring the best re
suits. or Is the federal plan-joinini
national and state control-prefer
able? Tho issue concerns the metho,
NJ government. one Of the profoun,
problems at the basis OF all organize,
human life"