In order to increase the efficiency of transportation and decrease its cost
to the shipper, railroad consolidation must be secured. Legislation is
needed to simplify the necessary procedure to secure such agreements and
arrangements for consolidation, always under the control and with the
approval of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Pending this, no adequate
or permanent reorganization can be made of the freight-rate structure.
Meantime, both agriculture and industry are compelled to wait for needed
relief. This is purely a business question, which should be stripped of all
local and partisan bias and decided on broad principles and its merits in
order to promote the public welfare. A large amount of new construction and
equipment, which will furnish employment for labor and markets for
commodities of both factory and farm, wait on the decision of this
important question. Delay is holding back the progress of our country.
Many of the same arguments are applicable to the consolidation of the
Washington traction companies.