Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-01-04
THE RAILROAD ISSUE.


system of the body polite The stream of traffic flowing along
them it's social and economic life blood Upon the regularity
of this movement its vitality depends Sagnaton and
ton equally dangerous to its health and welbeng Its
is regulated by the normal and constant movement of
it's trade currents just the vgor and health of depends
upon the ceaseess circulation of the blood.
system interviewer with national e and indispen
sable to its webeing essentially public and therefore
enmenta It's early development largely by state and its
final transfer to private control subsequent policy org
mating WITH and made effecua by keen business nteect
conscious Of the marvellous wealth and power involved in the
ownership of nation system of inter communications This
power acquired has been abused principally
by vercaptazaton determinations against persons and
localities corruption of public servants and combinations with
great business enterprises for the absorption of rival railroads
or the destruction of competition.
While true these evils have been minmzed in recent
years thru partial public control they nseparabe from
vate ownership Hence it must be apparent to all reflecng
minds that they have not been and cannot be entirely removed
long this control complete and the orders DEGREES
of commissions depend for their enforcement whole part
the in The candaou punderngs of
the Rock Island the New Haven, the Frisco the Pere Mar
quee the Alton and other systems devised and
compshed under the of the Interstate Commerce
Commissions while the devices for the payment of
bates Notwithstanding the mandate of the written law are
familiar to the reading public More recently the charge
regater of food suffs deliberately Withholding large
consgnmens of provisions in the freight yards of of the
great center to stimulate higher prices if untrue sug
gess and evil Of terrible proportions which easily effected
der control would be impossible public owner
ship of the railways.
Labor controversies frequent in the railroad world
They become formidable the railways extend and the
frequently interfere with essential tariff movements to the
decentralization of business and the injury of the public Both
sides neither side be to blame for these disturbances
but the primal fact that while they active they cripple
great government agency This should not be possible
strike in the Post Office Department the Navy quite
ustabe which suspends the operations of the natural
highways They would be less injurious since the railway
company prone, SETTLE reflect upon the
pany for like anybody else in difficulties resists by what
it command.
The railways burdened with mountains of debt which
will never be paid They impose and constantly
ing fixed charge earnings and these must keep pace with
it, the road coapses To accomplish this beerments are
frequently neglected. false economies instituted and local
charges increased Hard times bankruptcy reorgan
zatlon thru which investors suffer- and absorpons of weak
er by more vigorous systems promoted These INSCRIPTIONS
are always attended by increased bond and share issues which
swell the aggregate liabilities the further derment of pro-
Queer and consumer Share speculation by bulls and bears
alike receives fresh stimulus from the practice which only the
strongest systems survive Some of these which the
New Haven example, peril their very
strength and finally the of all enterprises conducted for
private GAIN distinguished from the public welfare
Under private ownership railways constructed in
territory already well supplied with lines of transportation
This waste OF capital and of energy The enterprises
are seldom inspired by worthy motives They designed
compete WITH and menace existing lines thereby forcing
sohdatons divisions of business which of momen
tary benefit to their patrons Other sections of the
poorly served and needing better cheaper traffic facilities
suffer thru this practice since their needs tho real are less al
Turing to enterprise combined with private capital They
neglected and their needs postponed to
son. the dlscouragng delays of which often set the tide of i'm
provement and of population permanently other directions
Under government ownership these uwse Implications would
De aVoldd and the needs OF poorly served communities would
be supplied by construction.
The temptation to augment profits by charging all that
the traffic will BEAR too obviously require elabo
ration 1t strikes equality service souarev in the face
has done to create public hostility to private railway
management than other single practise Ao it has been
largely eliminated be wholly uppres so long as
human qckened by the greed of gain posses the
strumentalities for its exercise.
Many if not most of the inequalities the rate sheet have
their genesis in this fact and since they can be pansh de-