The Prescott daily news., 1917-04-06
RAILROAD SITUATION
 IS NOW LARGELY
 UP TO CONGRESS

A Complete, Harmonious, Consistent | and Related System Needed-Federal | Incorporation of Railroads by Gensr. l h Law Favored.
 Washington, March 26.-Responsibil. lty for the railway development of the | country, for providing necessary trans. portation facilities to care for the grow. ing business and population of the country, now rests largely with con. gress and not entirely with the rail. road managers. This was the state. l ment of Judge Robert $. Lovett, chair. man of the executive committee of the union Pacific system, to the Newlands Joint congressional committee when that body resumed its inquiry into the subject of railroad regulation this week.
 In making this statement of the changed conditions of the railroad sit uation Judge Loyctt undoubtedly had in mind the decision of the supreme court on the Adamson law, handed
 
 right of the federal government to fix railroad wages and to prevent strikes. This decision is regarded by railroad men and lawyers as marking an epoch in the development of transportation in the United States.
 We have our share of responsibil. ity," said Judge i.orett, but it rests primarily OH congress. When the gov. crnMcnt regulates the rates and the financial administration of the rail roaGs the borrowing of money and the issuance of securities it relieves the railroad officers of the responsibility of providing and developing transporta- ton systems, except within the limits of the revenue that can be realized from such rates and under such restrictions.
 For country such as ours, for a people situated as we are. to blunder along with series of unrelated, incon. siStent, conflicting statutes enacted by different states without relation to each other, instead of providing a com plete and carefully studied and pre- pared system of regulation for buSi. ness that is 50 vital to the life of the nation. is worse than folly"
 He summed up the present problems and difficulties of the railroads as fol. lows:
 First.-The multiplicity of regula. tionS by the several states with respect to the issue of securities. involving de ta tn eraly dangerous and possibly disas. trouS.
 Second.-The state regulation of rates in such q manner as to unduly reduce revenues. to discriminate in fa. vor of localities and shippers within its own borders as against localities and shippers in other states and to dis turb and disarrange the structure Of interstate rates.
 Third.-The inability of the Inter state Commerce Commission, whoever the commissioners may be, to perform the vast duties devolving upon it un- der existing laws, resulting in delay which should never occur in commer- cial matters-and compelling the com missioners to accept the conclusions of their employees as final in deciding matters of great importance to tho commercial and railroad interests of the country.
 Fourth-The practical legality that has been accorded conspiracies to tie up and suspend the operation of the railroads of the country by strikes and violence and the absence of any law to compel the settlement of such dis putes by arbitration or other judicial means, as all other issues between citi- zens in civilized states are to be set tied.
 Ftfth.-The phenomenal increase in the taxation of railroads in recent years,
 Sixth.-The cumulative effect Of these conditions upon the investing public, to which railroad companies must look for tue capital necessary to continue development.
 We believe that the unitication Of regulation is essential, said Judge Lovett, and that with the rapid in crease of state commissions in recent years congress will In time be com- pelled to exercise it's power fin the premises To unify regulation there should he complete. harmonious, con sistent and related system. We be- lieve the best. If not the only practical plan, is the fedora incorporation Of railroads by general law, which will make incorporation hereunder com