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Show H . REGULATING THE RAILROADS. H v np HE modern idea of regulating the B JL railroads by means of state and 1 intcr-stato commissions, by striking M employes and a complaining public, P seems likely to "regulate" the once M powerful organizations out of busl- M ncss. Recently the press dispatches M told of the placing of a receiver over H the controlling company of tho Rock B Island System, various lines are con H tending for an increaso in freight or H passenger rates in order to enable m them to keep up their investments M and pay anything like reasonable div- B idends. Somo roads, such as tho D. fl & R. G., are said to be positively go H ing behind, and certain it is that prcc- m ious littlo new road has been built H during the pust few years. m In tho light of these developments B it seems probable, and in fact evident, that the people of tho United States PPJ have gone too far in the matter of piB regulating the railroads, which has PBH come to bo a favorito pastime with B many of the legislative bodies. And Vjj without attempting to deny the fact that there have been many abuses of B privileges by the railroads, or at least BBl some of them, we must recognize the fact that railroads are necessary to Bb tho welfare of the country, and that it BBV is possiblo to circumscribe them to BB such an extent that they cannot ex WM ist and stay in business. Either we V must permit the railroads to do busi- BBWj ness on a safe basis, or have the gov VBB ernment own and operate them. This EBB latter condition is perhaps the inov- 4H itable, and tho restrictions all the yBj time being increased about the roads VH will tend to hasten the day of govern E ment ownership, for with tho chance EflB of profit eliminated the companies will BBV uo gad to sell to the government at BBS reasonable prices. B 'As matters now stand, with the H ' graveling public, the commissions and B "tTiCt legislators on the one side, and H jtlie employes on the other, tho rail- Br .roads cpmo very nearly being "Be BBB HMR BBB' twecn tho devil and the deep sea," and there is little chance for them. |