The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1916-12-27
the RAILROAD QUESTION
BY j. E. Jones

OOAA~
mittee, made up from members of
both houses of Congress, was crea-
ted.
Mr.. Alfred P. Thorn, who made the
opening statement to the Newlands'
Joint Committee on Interstate Com
merce at the beginning of it's ses-
sions, in prefacing an analysis of the
conditions that are hampering rail-
road development, admitted on be-
half of the railroads that the prin-
ciple of public regulation is recog-
nized as permanent part of Govern
ment. He said that public regula-
tion of railroads became fact twen-
ty-nine years ago and that the fight
against the railroads since then has
proceeded to a large degree along
the lines of "a system of correction"
In comparing the supervision of
banks and railroads, he asserted that
the Governments treatment of the
banks was in the nature of a con-
structive program; that the super
vision of railroads was part of a
destructive program"
For a dozen years "The Railroad
Question has been constantly before
the American people. The difficulty
has been that as soon as one phase
of the problem began to be under
stood by the part of the people that
might be described as 'our thought
full citizenship some violent twist
of conditions has completely changed
the entire situation, and "the rail-
road question" suddenly resolved it.
self into brand new shape. LaFol-
lette fought the old regime that
manipulated the railroads. They
early realized that constructive leg
islation to properly deal with the
great RAILROAD question" should be
enacted by the federal government;
and both of them became ardent ad-
vocates of regulation by the national
government, acknowledging the fulfil
ity of forty-six or forty-eight states
attempting to govern interstate
commerce.
Congress has now assumed control
of the railroad question and promi-
ses to rectify the indiscriminate leg-
islation fostered at the instance of
politicians who have ridden into pub
lie office through the prejudices they
created against the public service
corporations. There has been a mer-
ry havoc of a time in railroad af-
fairs, running over the course of a
number of years. Reorganization
plans, receiverships and bankruptcy
have menaced the country's great
transportation interests
Congressman Adamson, vice chair
man of the Joint Committee of Con-
gress, which is charged with investi-
eating the entire railroad problem,
has declared that the railways must
be protected" Mr.. Adamson is au-
thor of the eight-hour law, and this
piece of government policy may fall
within the scope of the investiga-
ton. Senator Cummins, who is also
on the committee, is expectant of
real results at last for the reforms
he has so long advocated. Congress-
man Esch, early identified with the
Wisconsin movement, is a member of
the committee. Senator Newlands,
one of the earliest advocates of Fed
eral incorporation of railroad COM
panies, is chairman. Other members
are Senators Underwood, of Alaba-
ma; Robinson, of Arkansas; Brande-
gee, of Connecticut; and Representa-
tives Sims, Of Tennessee; Cullop, of
INDIANA; and Hamilton, of Michigan.
Stripped of "whereases" and ire
solves" the entire situatinon brings
itself down to the point where the
Government is convinced that the
railroads have suffered enough from
haphazard legislation, and the opin-
ion is general that the railways at
this time, are as a rule, efficiently
and honestly managed. At any rate,
they represent such an enormous
property value, and are so vital to
the industrial and social existence of
the country, as to demand that the
responsibility to the pubhc-regard-
less of capital invested in the proper
ties calls for permanent "show
down." and business-like adjust
ment of the relations between the
peoples government and the rail-
roads interests. Government owner
ship is one of the angles of the
problem that will be taken up.
Government control, Of the most
far-reaching kind, is certain to fol-
low as result of the Investigation.
Rates, securities-and possibly even
the question Of wages, and the hours