&quot;348 THE GROUNDS WELL. 



public. This applied to a railway. There were always practical 

 monopolies, but the government which concedes such monopoly to a 

 private company, does much as if it allowed an individual or associa 

 tion to levy any tax they choose. To make the concession for a 

 limited time is as justifiable as the principle which justifies patents 

 for inventions ; but the State should fix a maximum of rates.&quot; 



Mr. Mill, although a free-trader in the broadest sense of the term, 

 yet recognized a class of companies needing government control. 



Mr. Frederick Hill was quoted to sustain the same opinion. All 

 who had studied the subject would agree with Mr. Adams, when he 

 said, in his speech in behalf of the Massachusetts railroad commis 

 sioners: &quot; That while the result of ordinary competition is to reduce 

 and equalize prices, the result of railroad competition is to produce 

 local irregularities, and arbitrarily raise and depress prices.&quot; 



They had had, for instance, a railroad system of some sort in Illinois 

 for about twenty years. The amount of service had wonderfully in 

 creased, and rogues had learned how to acquire railways at low 

 prices. Figures were given to show that, notwithstanding the in 

 crease in their business, the rates of some roads had materially in 

 creased. 



In September, 1873, nine different roads, radiating from St. Louis 

 eastward, were charging, in violation of law, 4.69 cents per mile for 

 passengers, or more than fifty-five per cent, more than they were 

 twenty years ago. 



Combination between rival lines had destroyed competition, except 

 that occasional cutting of rates made fluctuations that could only 

 be taken advantage 9f by a few shippers. Railroads were practically 

 regulated, not by competition but by combination. 



This regulation meant that the railroad managers are feudal lords, 

 and the people are their serfs ; that every car of produce that passes 

 over the New York Central road must pay a heavy toll for right of 

 transit to Vanderbilt, the robber and baron of modern feudal 

 ism ; that the shipper must truckle to railroad officials for special 

 favors, and skulk and avoid the farmers movement, when they knew 

 it was right, for fear they would compromise their pecuniary in 

 terests. 



Dissatisfied with the results of this kind of regulation, the people 

 ask governmental interference and regulation thereby. 



This might be national by act of Congress, which has power to regu 

 late commerce among the several States. Or this regulation might 



