624 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Electric railroads, or what is termed now in traction circles, inter 

 urban transportation, could be made very useful to the agricultural 

 and dairy interests of our State, if, in their charter, they would 

 grant the right to carry freight and dairy products. But to 

 ask for this in the charter, and the right of eminent domain for 

 electric railroads, might look to some like socialism; yet these peo- 

 ple do not stop to think that the postotjfice conducted by the Na- 

 tional Government, the school system and even our road system, 

 are socialistic — used hj all — or are open to the use of all, and are 

 operated by the laws of the State and Nation. But when the peo- 

 ple ask for something akin^o the instrumentalities just mentioned, 

 the cry of socialism and paternalism is raised, and by the very peo- 

 ple who enjoy special privileges, and thereby thrive and wax fat 

 at the expense of the general public. So if you agitate the question 

 of permitting or compelling the electric railway companies to carry 

 parcels and light freight, you run square up against the steam rail- 

 roads and express companies, and encounter special privileges 

 which the possessors hold most sacred. I hold that no invention, 

 which conduces to the hajipiness and comfort of the people should 

 be withheld from them. And further, I hold that the relation of 

 electric railroads does conserve, and will add far more to the hap- 

 piness, comfort, convenience and financial condition of the farmers, 

 dairymen and fruit growers of our State, as the people are edu- 

 cated to what great use, these roads can be to them. 



The time has gone by when the steam roads and express com- 

 panies should have a monopoly in carrying freight, etc., from place 

 to place. The electric railroad is a marvelous convenience for 

 carrying passengers, and this could be augmented by carrying 

 freight as well. It seems to me unreasonable, that these roads 

 should be limited to passenger trafic only, when they could be 

 utilized to the advantage of the agricultural interests of our Com- 

 monwealth in carrying produce and merchandise. No class of peo- 

 ple deserve higher consideration as a result of inventions and con- 

 veniences than the producers. They are fairly entitled to the best 

 facilities in the matter of exchanging commodities and convenience 

 in travel. True, we have some places in the Slate where the elec- 

 tric railroads do carry milk, and other goods, and it greatly reduces 

 the cost of transportation. For instance, an electric road from 

 West Chester carries milk, etc., to the Delaware wharfs, for about 

 two-fifths of. what the steam roads charge to Broad street, 14 

 squares less distance, at a loss of but 30 minutes. And this only 

 illustrates what could be done all over the State if the right of way 

 could be had, without a fight which is so often the case. This can 

 only be remedied by an act of the Legislature, allowing electric rail- 

 roads the right to transfer mail, freight and packages as well as 



