THE PEOPLE AND THE RAILKOADS. 149 



creased value of their property. Certainly, if they want to sell it. 

 But certainly not if they want to make that increased value a basis 

 for levying rates upon the people. No farmer has the ri^ht to tax 

 the community to make good to him a dividend on the increased 

 value of his farm. When holders of other property can have this 

 right it will be time enough to grant it to the railroad corporations. 



If new property appears on a railroad it got there either by the 

 earnings of the road which have been raised out of rates assessed 

 upon the people, or it is there because loaned money has put it 

 there, the interest npon which, and ultimately the principle of 

 which, is paid b}^ rates assessed upon the people. It is not right 

 that the people should be again taxed upon property which they 

 have already paid for. The owners of no other species of prop(rt/ 

 have yet found out a way to derive an increased value of their 

 IDroperty while they themselves retained possession of it. 



We cannot build new railroads all over the country to compete 

 with those which already exist. The peo'ple are not driven to that 

 resort. They have their rights and they should prosecute them in 

 those roads which already exist. 



The farmers movement will not rectify the situation. The 

 Grange may be of value to the farmer in many directions. Possi- 

 bly it may be an element helpful in the solution of this problem, 

 but it can only be subsidiary at best. 



New times and new conditions demand new measures. Courts 

 and legislatures, as now constituted, are inadequate to the solution 

 of the railroad problem. We need commissioners, State and 

 National, with legislative and law powers ample enough to meet 

 the demands of the situation. The constant increase of the trans- 

 portation business will make such commission a permanent 

 necessity. 



Those who control the private interests invested in railroads are 

 at all times alert to their interests. The people should have what 

 would be equivalent to an always open court and ever sitting leg- 

 islature to attend to their interests in the roads. These commis- 

 sions should have full powers of instant action. We have not ex- 

 hausted the resources of society in the establishment of a Circuit 

 Court and a State Legislature. When a new business attains to 

 such gigantic dimensions as the transportation business has reach- 

 ed, there ought to spring up a new tribunal to attend to it — a tri- 



