Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-08-07
DAILY APITAL JOURNAL
Salem whose circulation is guaranteed by tine
Audit Bureau of
THE RAILROAD SITUATION

Ex-President Taft in the Constitutional Review, dis
cusses length the railroad situation in an article
on the subject of "Wise and UnWse Extensions OF FED
era Power" He points out the troubles some OF hem
caused by the AZ state railroad commissions and the inter-
state commission making 40 bodies In all to which the
railroads must give heed He calls attention to the many
conflicting requirements, some OF them frivolous put on
that account much the more annoying and irritating
As illustration he cites the law i'll one state which COM
pes the placing of spittoon between every two seats
which other states expressly forbid 1t will be seen tnat
when the state line between the two states
going one way the sptoons would have to be removed
and going the other installed 1t is trtng thng put as
stated for that reason the more irritating This is
but example of many annoying things Deurrage IS
enforced in states and not In Others and what Is
law one state is forbidden in others all along the hne
That these annoying conditions exist is due to the
railroads themselves but that does not alter OF lessen the
ANNOYANCE There was time when railroads were all
powerful They controlled the affairs of the country
decided its politics and supreme dctators They
controlled courts and legislatures corrupted politics. and
above and beyond the reach Of the law TO certain
extent they are yet We have example in the South
ern Pacific probably the worst offender of them ALL 1t
has defed congress and deliberately violated the terms Oh
the act granting its predecessor millions OF acres OF and
in Oregon and this up to the present year. AS matter
Of fact it is still trying to dodge the provisions OF that
granting act 1t this overriding OF the people and
the law that caused the creation Of the interstate and the
4S state railroad commissions 1t caused the Sherman act
and it stirred legislators to efforts to find ways in which
they could catch popular favor by cnchng the railroads
From being the bosses politically the railroads found
themselves dep0Sed and like everything else once IL Is
down. the subject of many unnecessary kicks From be-
ing top they to the botton The people having
been kicked gratuousy by them naturally when the op-
portunity came, kicked back
1t is time now that these old conditions be changed
The railroads have been chastened and the people have
discovered that they have perhaps gone too far along
some lines in controlling them 1t is time for the roads
and the people to meet common ground that OF mu-
tua interest The people cannot get along without the
railroads and the railroads woul find it hard sleddng
without the people Government supervision has come
to stay and while we have this it may be well to let the
railroads do their business other business men do
theirs without undue interference Doing away with
state commissions proposed by Mr. Taft the remedy
and he advances strong in defense of his
position Perhaps he is right but it will be long before
he can convince the public of thus unless the railroads
themselves show the way. They do this when they
supply for doing the business of the countries rbu
tary them when they voluntary act fairly with those
dependent them for transportation and when the in
terstate commerce commission down from its high
horse and pays attention to the complaints of those
hurt by the roads neglect At present the commission
doing this but has arrOgated to itself the slogan made
famous by the late Cornelius Vanderbilt the people be
damned" The railroads viii find that the people will
gladly meet them half way in changing and beterng con-
dons but the roads must travel their half first and do
Justice before demanding it. They must provide and
move the products of the country When they do this,
which is their imperative duty under their franchises,
they will find the people willing and anxious to do any
thing that is fair to give the roads square deal On the