THE RAILWAY AND THE ROAD: PROTECTION TO THE PUBLIC.
IN a few years, railroads will be constructed on all the great routes in England, with branches from them stretching into every well-peopled district. Everybody is prepared for this alteration in the mode of travelling. But the question now occurs, and it ought to have been well considered long ago by the Government, in what way the public can be secured from the mischiefs of a railway monopoly. For many years to come, there will be but one railway on each of the great routes. Nobody dreams of run- ning another line from London to Birmingham ; and already the stage-coaches are driven off the road. We are not sure that one is now maintained ; some weeks ago there was only one. If we may judge from frequent reports in the newspapers, the managers
0" the London and Bi-mingbam Railway are already acting to- wards the public with the indifference it monopolists. Their charges for packages have been raised, and we hear many com- plaints of the surly insolence of the people in their employ. The
Times proposes to correct the evil, and bring these gentlemen to their senses, by abolishing the duties on post-horses awl siege- coaches. This, as the courier saye, is "a puny remedy. There
is an end of " travelling post" on the great roads. The trifling reduction in the charges which the abolition of the ditty mieht effect, will not induce the great mass of movers to quit the mold railway carriage for the plodding post-chaise or coach. The holders of turnpike securities, to the amount of nine millions sterling, are destined to suffer a fearful diminution, it' nut an entire dem'dition of' their property. In ninny cases the latter ; for if the rods are kept up, a surplus of receipt over expenses is not to be expected.
Even before the railways were commenced, as appears by the Report of the House of Commons Committee on Turnpike Tru-ts and Tolls, the armor of interest on the bonds was enormous—in 1829, 821,5861. " Pike-keeping" will no longer afford the gratifi- cation which Boz ascribes to it ; for the misanthropes of the toll- bar will have nobody to tax. The predominant landed interest has taken good care of itself in bargaining for Parliamentary support of railways ; but a large proportion, we su-pect a majority of turn- pike bondholders, belong to a class not eager or able to fight their battle in a Private Bill Committee. Two years ago, we warned them to press for such an arrangement as Mr. MaextexoN's Committee recommended,—namely, to take a sum from Govern- ment much below the nominal value of their claims, and give up the entire management of the turnpikes to the public officers. At that time, the treasury was full, and no immediate prospect of a rebellion in Canada ; but the favourable opportunity was lazily neglected, and will not soon return. Meanwhile, the value of the securities has been much reduced. The monopoly of the railway- owners has been based on the ruin of the turnpike-bondhlders ; though the fact is rarely adverted to: and it happens, that the interest of the public is adverse to that of this unfortunate class. Were it otherwise, their vested interest might be used against that of the railway proprietors. It would be folly to tax the rail- way in order to maintain the useless turnpike.road; yet it is only by making locomotion by steam much dearer than travelling post that the latter can be continued.
We regard, therefore, the suggestion of the Times, to abolish the duties on stage-coaches and post-horses, as utterly inadequate to the " grave emergency " of the case. There can be no competition between the railway and the road. Yet the public has a right to protection against the high charges and overbearing conduct which a monopoly always produces in those who manage and profit by it. Parliament, which has put the public at the mercy of the railway companies, is bound to defend the people from extor•
tion and ill-usage. Such defence will not, however, be volunteered.
No Minister will be ready to offend the powerful interests in-
volved. The People should bestir themselves, and force attention from their Representatives. And the sooner the effort is made, the better : next session will see an immense accession of strength to the monopolists.
We are aware of the difficulty of meddling with the profits of a private company. It may happen, that with very reasonable charges large profits may be made; and the public has no claim to a share of the gain in producing which it incurred neither risk nor labour. But the question may be practically dealt with, nevertheless, without injustice to any party. For instance, if it should appear that a fair profit can be made with moderate charges, then the company may be hindered from levying exorbitant rates, simply by Government, with the authority of Parliament, undertaking another line, the receipts on which would protect the public treasury from loss; as the questions of com- pensation for land taken would be far more equitably and speedily settled than by negotiation between private parties. You must have competition, or a limitation of charges and dividends. The latter is not easy to effect ; for, rather than submit to a reduction of profits, the expenditure would be increased in various ways, so as always to make it appear that the net receipts did not exceed the prescribed limit. Again, if high charges were necessary to pay expenses and a reasonable dividend to the proprietors of any line, and no new line could be constructed on materially better terms, then the old turnpikes might be restored, and thus the choice given to travellers to pay or not for the superior expedition of the railway. The competition might be fatal to the latter ; but that would be the not unfair consequence of a bad speculation,— bearing in mind that the railway was sanctioned by Act of Parlia- ment on the ground of its being advantageous to the public. And Parliament having virtually caused the old road to be abandoned, would be bound in equity to put the public in as good a position as formerly. The profession that the public interests were to be provided for by applicants for railway bills, must be kept in mind when this subject is discussed.
No expedient now available to us may be quite free from ob. jections; but the railway gentlemen in England have got the start of the Legislature and the public, who must now consider what they can, not what under more favourable circumstances they would like to do. In Ireland the case is different: precau- tions may be taken there to secure the public against monopolists; though it is net easy to inscribe upon carte blanche, conditions equitable to all parties.
Previous page
