Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-10-13
GOULDINTERVIEWED

4 Globe-Democrat Reporter inter-
viewed Mr.. Gould last Saturday at
considerable length on many ques-
ticns As TO labor strikes, he said:
There should never be labor strike
on railway, and | doubt if there
ever would be if both sides could be
made to realize how interviewer their
interests are. Railway employees can
not prosper unless the railway is pros
porous: neither can railway prosper
unless its employees are prosperous.
Their interests are necessarily mutual
since the one is dependent upon the
other, and anything that is calculated
to disturb that relationship should be
frowned down. If that principle
were clerly understood and applied
there would be 10 reason for COM
paint from either side. | think the
cmploye should have the largest pos
sible wages, but the money invest
ed in the property should also
nave the right TO secure a yield.
Both have rights, and each should re-
spect the rights of the other. Now ]
most heartily wish that our employees
would first secure homes for them
selves on the line of the road. and
then put their savings into the stock
of the company. Then they would
have a double interest in the prop
erty. l should be glad 10 know that
every empioye of the Missouri Pacific
system y as owner of more or less
shares of the compaDy's stock. If
they did every man would have n per-
sonal interest in the property and
every man would do his very best TO
increase its earning power and oppor-
tunity. Then the road would be man
aged and operated by its owners.
There would thus be no labor problem
to uIrayel"
Further on in speaking of govern
ment interference and St Louis as an
initial point in distinction from Kan
sas CITY he said:
mo; for the simple reason that the
government would fail sienaIly if it
undertook TO do what competition
and common business sense alone can
do Ii is TO the interest of the Missou-
ri Pacific system to center everything
possible here in st. Louis. We have
invested millions of dollars here, be-
cause this is the one great focus for
the entire system, and we are bound
to change currents of trade, if need be,
that the flow may be to and from ST.
Louis The geographical situation of
st. Louis with reference 10 the course
of trade in the west, both By railways
and WATERWAYS, is commanding in the
highest degree. and mast always be
so, only that ii viii continue 10 grow
in Importance unless handicapped, and
il j. the business of the Missouri Pa
citic system to see that il j. not bot
tied up. The road between Kansas
City and Memphis i, ana always will
be. hostile Ia ST. Louis. but this new
factor must be met and fought by the
Missouri Pacific in the interest of -.
Louis. \ new road between Newport.
Ark. and Memphis Is talked of. Ii
built j; would draw largely from ii
field that lcgiiimately belongs Ia ST.
Louis. But it will be the business of
the Iron Mountain 10 see that st.
Louis Is protected in this quarter. as
well as a; all other points on it's line.
Thus, you see. il is TO the interest of
the Missouri Pacific system to make
ST. Loui, the gateway-the point Of
accumulation and the point of diSiri-
button iOr the whole southwest, and
the competition with opposing lines
will always regulate the question of
rates. No. sir, transportation and
trade interests are able to regulate
themselves They need no help from
the National Government"
Al this point the reporter was mott
fled by Vice president Hoxic that the
train could he held no longer, SO the
interviewer was cut of just as Mr..
Gould was about to express an opin-
ION on the project TO build free
bridge across the Mississippi by the
people of ST Louis. for the purpose Of
forcing Mr. GouId's bridge to remove
the existing arbitraricS