Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1917-05-03
RAILROAD SITUATION
IS NOW LARGELY
UP TO CONGRESS
Must Share Responsibility In
Future Development.
ROBERT S. lOVETT'S VIEWS
Qualification OF Regulation Is Essential
4 Complete, Harmonious, Consistent
and Related S. stem Needed-F ederal
Incorporation Of Railroads by Gener-
al Law Favored.

al Law Favored.
WASHINGTON. MaNh III Responsible.
ity Tor the railway Development " the
country. Tor pn,vidug necessary trans
pOrtation facilities 10 care for the grow-
INK business and population OF the
country. nov rests largely With CON.
sreSS ana not entirely with the rail
road managers. This was The state
ment ~ Judge Robert :. l.ovc,t. chair.
maa of the executive committee ~ the
Mon Pacific system. to the \ewiandS
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 n, railroad sit
uation Judge Lovett undoubtedly had
in mind the decision Of the supreme
court on the AdamSon law, handed
down last week. which establishes the
right OF the federal government to Xix
railroad wages and to preNen strikes
This decision is regarded 10y railroad
men and lawyers as marking All epoch
in the development OF Transportation
IN the United States.
We have our share OF responsible
ity." said Judge Lovett. but II rests
primarily Oh congress When the gov
ernmoat regulates the rates and the
financial administration of the ruii
reads. the borrowing Of money and the
issuance of securities IL relieves the
railroad officers of the responsibility Of
providing and developing transporta.
lion syst toms. except within the limit .
II the revenue that can lee realized from
such rates and under such restrictions
For a country such as ours. for u
people situated rs We are. % hunder
along with Il series OF unrelated. iucon
sistent. conflicting statutes enacted los
liderent states without relation to
each other. instead 90 providing a com
1 plete and carefully studied aud pre-
pared system Of r,-u.Iti % Tor Il busi
ness that is so vital to the life Of the
nation. is worse than folly"
lie summed up the present problems
and difficulties of the railroads as fol
lows.
Hst--I lie multiplicity Of regula
4 lions by the sel erai states with resne,.t
to the issue Of securities. involving de
ID. anu connecting state policies zen
eraily dangerous ana possibly disas
trOus
second. The state regulation o.
rates Ia such manner as 10 unduly
reduce reveure~ 10 discriminate In IA
'oF of localities and shippers within
10 own Oof-eF' as against Identities
and shippers III other states and 10 dis
'urb and disarran-e the structure Of
'N.e' s'"'e rA'es.
In'Tu'-Ihe Inability of the Inter
't"'e commerce onini, ion. whoever
iLt con inl-sloners niay ICE. o. perform
'ne vast o1i.'7 ne''i'h- Hlon 1t un
Ger existing laws. reslti.s in decay
""icn should never occur in CONNER
al Ma ''''s hnn iniesinS the com
.niS''O''e's 70 a'7e'f tie conclusions Of
nj eHlP.Vyess a. hnal 10 deciding
'ia''e's ~ great Importance 10 the
''al anu taAf"ad Interests o.
'"ui'''s
'H 10 pin'ti a. legality thai
nas Desn a''"fd"d oonsi ira is 10 tie
~ anu susi'.A1 tie op rafi'n 4 n.
an '''7 ~ me ''uniIt hy strikes and
i''ei' . am 'he ah-"n ~ an. law
- COMPEL I'D" sr'il"m'ni - such dis
49, ~ 'iDi'i n'i"n "f other judicial
'N'@ns' az az other issne- b.twe'u citi-
~enS 10 ''''lzs' sia'"s are 10 b. sei
-, -,
i'N' me phenoin"hal increase iu
w ''@''''h ~ railroads 20 re- emf
-
- '.n''i'.ns upon ihe investing
p."''- - "H1rh railroad rnmpanie
h,s' '".k Tor the 'aplial ne-, ssary a.
.ai.'''' ''''i'i. h' iii
D''"' 'hai 'he uniheafiOn u
ssD'a'''N j. essential. said Judge
'",s'' ana uai with i'- rapid In
p" u s'hie commits 'Vn. ln recent
ye"'' ''"f rr "lN 80 i1io De- rom
p'44t14 10 fNNI. iAr 81