The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-03-02
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION.

control over all the railroads and other
transportation service of the country
and is composed of men who have had
no railroad, financial Or judicial expert
ence. 1t is this commission that has
forced many railroads into the hands of
receivers, has curtailed facilities for
travel and business, has stopped rail
road building, made it impossible for ex-
listing roads to maintain their efficiency,
ard caused a shortage of cars at a time
when they were urgently needed to
transport the bountiful crops of the past
wear. 1t has been cause for congratuls
ton that Maine has thus far escaped the
railroad wrecking methods of this com
mission. but now it is to decide whether
or no we shall be deprived of needed
facilities for summer travel. Under the
provisions of the Panama Canal Act, So
called, passed by Congress, railroads are
not allowed to operate steamboat SER
vice except by permission of the Inter
state Commerce commission. In accord
ance with this act, the Maine Central
Railroad company has petitioned the In
terstate Commerce commission for per
mission To continue its steamboat ser
vice from Mt. Desert Ferry to Bar Har-
Dor and other Frencbman' 5 bay points
and from Rookland to Bar Harbor and
landings down the Reach. The Maine
Central car, and does. give much bet
ter service on tlis latter route than
could be expected of an Independent
line, and If is an accommodation to many
who do rot care to make The all-rail
Journey tg Bar Harbor and who enjoy a
sail that for sceric attractions is not
e4laAea elsewhere in this country, or in
the world. Yet II the Interstate Com
merce Commission so decides the Maine
Central must withdraw the steamers
specially built for this service at large
expense, and deprive thousands of sum
mer tourists of the facilities they have
enjoyed. In one of his recent addresses
in Bangor ex-President Taft said:
Things have come to such a pass
that people look with suspicion upon
every successful corporation. This is
not right As corporations prosper, the
country prospers.
The system under which our railroads
are regulated by the Interstate Com
merce Commission and nearly IS State
railroad commissions the latter inde-
pendent OF the national commission. and
refusing to defer to it, is indeed HYDRA
headed arrangement. The railroads are
squeezed between upper and neither mill
stones Under the Minnesota rate case
1t was decreed that Congress should de-
eide in conflicts of decisions, but has Con-
gress acted? No. Why? Because il is
not popular to aid the railroads TODAY?
Congress ''has other things to attend 10
)f more Importance
But has It? The railroads are the
arterlal clrcu alton of our country. They
constitute % per cent. OF business. Their
prosperity Is essential TO the general
prosperity OF tn country. Those who
invest IN them are bound to reap a ra-
ttoGal r+war! of their investment or
hurt 'he country This year there has
been less Increase in mileage of railroads
than H. any year since the Civil war.
Capita. is shy of placing money into
corporations assaled as are orr railroads.
Tbs attitude is bound to affect the
character of their service. In fact, it
has done so already.
True, railroads are making money dur
ing the present period of feverish pros
perity. But row is not the best period
to Judge of future estimated receipts of
railroads. We want to tax the roaus all
we can. Taxation is like deciding where
I.Cjl CHI n yNln H..
put the boil on the railroads. The unions
fixes the rates, although there is no
reason why rates shouldn't be made
higher when needed. We can't sacrifice
our railroads to that kind of control.
When it gets to the point that you say
capital can't come in, then it's govern
ment ownership. Speaking of govern
ment ownership, try the Intercolonial
road, between Halifax and Quebec 1t
doesn't even pay running expenses, nor
does any government owned road on
earth, except that of Prussia, military
State, where the manager is appointed
by the emperor.
In Massachusetts as the result of a
decree of the minimum wage commits
sion thousands of employees were thrown
out of work. Fixing the minimum
wage for women and girls resulted in
the discharge OF girls and hiring boys,
who do not come under the law, at less
rate. These and other facts were given
by delegation representing merchants
and manufacturers at recent hearing
before Gov. Mccall, and they set forth
number of grievances due to the arbi-
tary eXactions of the Commissioners.
The World Review says of conditions in
Massachusetts:
There are now four State boards, dis
tlnct and independent, for dealing with
industrial relations, viz: the board of
arbitration and Cancellation, the indus
trial accident board, the board of labor
and industries and the minimum wage
commission. When a business man,
worrying about meeting the payroll and
keeping the business moving, has to at
tend to the calls or enquiries from all
these boards he must feel glad that he
is alive. How long can the business in
terests stand this harrassing and official
meddling in the name of reform, before
they will seek other locations where
common sense still prevails?
COUGHS AND COLDS ARE DAM