STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETV. -[^ 



Mr. Freeman — It is a fact that railroads cannot carry way freight 

 as cheap as they can tluougli freight. 



Mr. WiER — Now, it does not appear to me that this is so; and 

 furthermore, I do notbeliexe thnt it is rii^/i/,\.o make the discrimination 

 that is often made. That railroads can carry way freight cheaper than 

 through freight apjiears to Jiie evident from the fact that for all freight 

 shipped through to Chicago, for instance, the agents must give notice; 

 but for way freights no notice is required. These e.xtra charges on way 

 freight make it very hard on the small towns, and 1 repeat, to me it does 

 not seem right to make them. 



Mr. Freem.an — I tliink tliere are instances where uniform rates 

 should not be insisted upon — or at least where the railroad parties could 

 afford, in one case, to carry freiglit cheaper than in another. It happens, 

 for example — in going south, that they are running cars empty for want 

 of freight — on their return to Chicago they are full and crowded, for 

 want of room. 



Mr. Scofield — Mr. President, this question is too much for me to 

 grapple with. It is big enough for the State to take in hand. I have 

 thought a great deal, however, and the only way I can see out of the 

 difficulty is where there is competition. I can ship a roundabout way, 

 where there is competition and save four or five dollars in a distance of 

 a few hundred miles. 



Mr. Flagg — I propose a different remedy. It has been said that 

 competition is impossible, and I think it is so. I cannot ascertain that 

 there is really much competition anywhere. I know very many points 

 where there is no competition — but combination rather; it is common to 

 find combination taking the place of competition. I think the Legisla- 

 ture must interfere and compel these corporations to submit to law, that 

 will not oppress the people. Our railroads may be run by the Govern- 

 ment. 



In one of these ways 1 think we shall find a remedy for the evils 

 that oppress us. It has been done in liclgium, where the government 

 has such a control of railroads as to fix the price ; and if there are cor- 

 porate bodies controlling railways they are compelled to come down to 

 the government prices, just as with us, the express companies are com- 

 pelled to come down in their rates in carrying money packages, since 

 the new jiostal law has been in force. What we want — and ^vhat we 

 can do, is to strengthen public opinion — to educate it, and then we 

 shall have the proper legislation. * 



