y of the abuses formerly practised
by such corporations, and which were angrily complained of by the
people. . . .

"It is a curious fact that the conclusion reached by the English
statesmen in 1874, was reached in Illinois in 1873; the conclusion
that railroad companies ought to have the right to control their
own affairs, fix their own rates of transportation, be free from
meddlesome legislation, and, as has been said, work out their own
destiny in their own way, just so long as they show a reasonable
regard for the requirements of the community."

After analyzing the law of 1873, referring to the procedure under
it, to the decision of the courts, and the fact that the Railroad
and Warehouse Commissioners made under it a schedule of maximum
rates of charges, I said:

"The schedule will require revision from time to time, and this
work can only be done by men who can give it their whole time, and
who will become students of the great subject of transportation.

"Before action by the Supreme Court it has not been deemed advisable
that the Commissioners should revise the schedule, and put the
State thereby to what might be unnecessary expense; nor that they
should multiply suits under the law of 1873, against railroad
companies for similar offences to those set up in the cases now
pending.

"Ever since its organization the board has been putting into
operation new laws founded upon old principles applied to new facts
and it has been compelled to walk with slow step. It has been
required, in the assertion of its authority to go from one court
to another, and await the approval by the Supreme Court of the
legislation directed by the Constitution of 1870.

"It has won a victory in the warehouse controversy and secured the
judicial endorsement of doctrines which in this age of concentration
and monopoly, are absolutely necessary to the public welfare. . . .

"Leaving out of view the benefits that have resulted to the people
by the mere fact of the existence of the Board, which has prevented
many abuses that would have been committed save for its presence
in the State, it has been at work, and useful. It has perfected
the organization of the Grain Inspection Department at Chicago; it
has gathered statistics in reference to transportation that are of
very great benefit to the public; it has adopted the policy of
railroad examinations with a view to security of life; and, in my
judgment, the authority of the Commiss