The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-31
THEY BRING TT ON THEMSELVES

It has been said often that railroads and other utilities bring upon themselves the governmental strictures of which they complain. No regulation was ever imposed upon utility or railroad that was not invited by some policy of disregard of the public right. Every regulation that stands on the statute books today or that is recorded in the proceedings of regulatory commissions was called forth by a definite abuse which it was designed to correct. If there are ten thousand such rules and regulations, then they cover ten thousand items of unjust az gression on the part of the interests af- fected. If there is any popular support for a program of public ownership, that support is the reaction of people who believe that their rights have been irl- yaded. When utilities and railroads properly recognize and seek to live up to their obligation to the public in all re- spects, and when public good will IS written into their books as a definite, tangible and indispensable asset to their success, and as an item to be developed to the fullest extent, then will they need to have no further fear of public owner ship. .,.
 Among the ways in which some utill- ties and railroads are arousipg public alarAm and contributing to their own fur ther regulation is by their effort to exert an undue influence in government. One of the devices most subversive ot the public welfare is that of having their at- torneys sit in legislative bodies, or else of hiring after their election lawmakers who also are attorneys. This is not only most improper of the railroads and other utilities, and a fundamental cause ot public distrust towards them, but is also well-nigh violative of the oath of office of such attorneys. Lawmakers are elected by the vote of the people to serve the public interest and to enact statutes at the same stimulative of industry and pro- tective of the general welfare. When- ever there is any conflict between the private ambition and the public welfare, then the lawmaker must be without preJ- udice of conflicting allegiance. In the eventuality of such conflict he must know no allegiance except allegiance to the people whom he is in oath and in honor bound to serve at all times.
 In this connection Commissioner Frank P. Morgan recently said in Blr- Yrinehap before the merchants and man ufacturers of Alabama: "Some railroads cry out that they are being regulated to death. when as a matter of fact they are doing everything within theiI" power to make regulation a mockery. Propaganda paid for out of their operating expenses is being disseminated by folders, news papers. periodicals and even by speakers before civic clubs. One large railroad operating in Alabama has had the poor ind0ment to issue a pamphlet on regula- lion which contains yelled sneers at state commissioners and makes statements which cannot be proved. fNow that same railroad will plead for retention ot state and federal commissioners, for it's own regulation under private ownership when the advocates of government own ership, aided by pamphlets such as tnis railroad has sent out, have raised grave doubts in the minds of the American peouAe as to whether governmental reg ulation or private ownership of railroads is the real solution of the transportaflon
 The people at this time are not in favor of public ownership of utilities. They prefer that they be privately owned and operated under proper regulatlon Dy state and federal governments. But there always come times when the public pa tience is exhausted, and when in angry retribution for impositions suffered, peo' ple 90 further in retaliation than then more sober judgment would counsel. It IS against such a day that the railroads should beware. And the railroads can guard against such an eventuality by tne yery simple course of developing public good will by genuine policy of service and regard for the public interest. unti, they do that, their tenure is in contlnua
 jeopardy. And among the first of then reforms must be withdrawal from policy of seeking to control leglslatlve bodies and governmental agencies ano even courts.