The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-28
SINGLE CONTROL
RAILROADS URGES
FRANK TRUMBULL
Dual System Sort of LOcOmOtOr
Ataxia, He Says.
Both Carriers and Public Suner
Now Under Latter.
WIPE OUT Estate" LINES
Millions in Waste Over Dam
Every Year, Assertions.
Congress Should Strengthen
Railway Credit.
Both Carriers and Public Surfer
Now Under Latter.
WIPE OUT Estate" LINES

Declsring the American system OF
railway regulation is not regulation at
all but a sort of '1ocomotor ataxla'
Frank Trurnbull, chairman or the
cbasa neake & Ohio and director OF the
xa+,, has issued a statement, in book
Let form. entitled Railway Regulation
a Iocornotor Ataxia" Mr.. Trum-
hull asserts the carriers and the puohc
have suffered because they nave no'
really obtained regulation accoruiiie
to the intent and meaning OF the inuch
used word He condemns the qua
system of state and Ieoeral res ..,'.n',i5
s'Who. for example" he asks, "oulo
think of advocating a postoffice oe,
nartment for each state in the Union
The discussion of the problem foi-
lows in part: ,,+ bava
Our enHeavors, he points out, nave
all been "of piecemeal anu pa'Sia
work character-court plasters' no
blood remedies" Declaring that rail-
wav legislation has been more CON
snicuous for quantity than for quality'
he observes, Legislation ana sula-
ton are not synonymous terms.
aHThe fact. is" says he, we havent
bod regulation at all. 1t is locomotor
ataxia." He likens the railroads to the
sninal cord of our industrial ana
commercial life, and then says: Con-
oress can and should-Wlthout any
con.filt1tional amendment-act In pc
half of all the states anu So
the railroads.
Federal Regional Commissions.
Such a step. he AYERS, might be ac-
coDnlished by federal regional COM
missions comprising some OF the most
capable of our present state railroad
commissioners. For, IF we can mo-
bilize the strength of the banks re-
all
The neople care nothing for state lines
on the map, or for theoretical state
rights, when they want to do business
with each other"
In the last few years, he observes,
wa ges and rates have been considered
raoionaI1v. hut now for the first time,
employees are insisting that wages De
considered on a nationwide basis
And industrial and commercial bodies,
recognizing the great need for un1fled
and more efficient regulation OF trans
portation, have called upon congress
for relief.
Men of all classes and of all shades
of political opinion" says he, are de-
claring that the transportation ques-
ton is a national problem-not 10
cal issue"
States Shift Burden.
individual states,'' says he, under
the guise of regulation are actually
disorganizing commerce, and are
shifting to other states burdens OF rail-
way credit which the latter ought not
to assume. They are in reahty re
Quiring railway corporations TO 90
what the federal law prohibits them
from doing, that is to discriminate be-
tween persons and places. This en-
courages litigation and is wasteful in
every way"
He enumerates many disadvantages
| imposed upon the railways under our
\ =, ST. Of Ms q n
| lation, among which are the cost or
/ making over 100000 reports an
nually to the several regulating COM
missions; the variations in passenger
rates; the conflict in headlight, boiler
! inspection, extra-crew and the other
crease their rates when they increase
| the wages of their employees or meet
increased prices of material; and the
cost of submitting "wagonloads of
testimony to various state tribunals
Millions Over Dam.
''In consequence of these wasteful
things" says he, millions upon mil
lions of dollars are going over the
dam every year, and warrant the
query whether there is any more wis
dom in disembarking railroad cor
porations at state lines than there
would be in disembarking passengers
and freight or changing wages at state
lines. Who, for example, would think
of advocating a postoffice department
! for each state in the Union
/ Reverting to the financial aspect of
this question, he pertirently remarks:
mo railway regulation can really put
the machine in order that does not
comprehend the question of railway
credit. Facilities must, of course,
precede service and credit must pre-
cede facilities. Our railroads should
always be ahead of, not behind, the
growth of the nation"
Railway investors, he observes, are
quite willing to take chances with
other people, but they are timid, even
in prOSperOus seasons owing to the