Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-04
Speech by Manager Meek Before
Chautauqua Assembly.
A Glimpse of the WOndrous Work
Which Has Been Accomplished
by RaiIways-The Future.
Important Economic Questions Which are to
be Considered-Necessity Of End
ing Traffic Wars.
Denver Republican.

yesterday before the Chautauqua Assem-
bly, at Glen Park:
"It is not easy to say anything on the
subject assigned me which the inquiring
mind will recognize as being new.
shall not detain you with statistics as to
the growth and extension of railway
systems nor those which show that these
have been the prime factors of our
national growth. 1t is all the story OF
half q century, and the larger part Of 1t
comes within the actual experience of
the younger men who are coming into
control of business affairs at this time.
1.-The correct historian of this period,
who seeks to arrive at the true extent or
the power of railways as creators of
national wealth and their influence in
adding to the per capita wealth of this
free people and who follow out the lines
of general advancement for which they
are directly and indirectly responsible,
will be called upon TO present almost IN
credible figures and statements of facts.
We are too near to il all, at this time,
TO rejoice in the full comprehension and
appreciation of this wondrous work, but
the time will come when the progress of
these few years, for which the railroad is
lhTBeIy TeSpOuslDlSs VIII sbduu Jul oe hhO
most marvellous achievement of man.
Speaking with reference TO the United
States, It NAV be said that they have
been supplied as if by magic with rail-
way systems throughout their length
and breadth, touching every section of
importance and making available every
existing resource.
1.-The free conditions under which this
great system of roads has been built,
have made it possible to build it quickly
and at this time there is little room,
and much less actual necessity, for
new railrond enterprises. We may say
that the construction account is nearly
closed, and that the present test lies in
the support end proper maintenance of
the nearly 200 900 miles of roads already
built. The fact that many thousands of
miles of this grand system of rail thor
oughfares have been built far beyond
the lines of actual settlement, and that
IN many cases the rail mileage in a
given territory Is far in excess of actual
necessity makes this test one of serious
consideration.
IMPORTANT ECONOMIC QUESTIONS.
with this rapid building of q COM
plete railway system there has been an
equally rapid development of the ma
terial resources in the states, supplying
III the most part every essential product
far beyond the capacity of the population
TO dispose or consume. These two facts
the one of excessive railway building,
the other of excessive production-pre-
sent the two most important economic
questions of the time. We are brought
to face the necessity of adjusting our
selves to these advanced conditions to
the end of wisely perpetuating these in
situations for the good of the states, in
dividually and collectively. At this mo-
ment the country and every railway in
terest are suffering for want of this ad-
justment. II touches all alike, and we
nre coming, perhaps too slowly, to q
common ground of observation and &C
ton, admitting with each other the
crudity of management OF commercial
and railway interests as they relate to
each other in different sections of the
country.
NECESSITY OF ENDING TRAFFIC. WARS.
at is the ambition, natural to Amer
leans, of every producer, and of every
industrial institution, to distribute their
products throughout the entire country
regardless on natural conditions, and
with the present system of transporta-
tion it is being made possible for them to
do so regardless of local conditions,
which should prevail; so that the ueces-
sity for defining commercial territorial
lines and a system of transportation
charges that will put ar end TO the cease
less and growing conflicts that are now
eating at the heart of local and general
prosperity of commercial Institutions,
and threatening the being of trans
portation companies, is becoming each
lav- "a
"Divided and individual management
of the different railway systems extend
ing long distances through the country,
coming in contact with each other at
points where in the nature of things their |
interests are diverse, results in forcing |
commercial lines beyond their proper !
boundary. Add to this the fact that |
these roads are controlled, in a greater |
or lie ser degree, by varying statutory |
regulations in different sections of the |
country, making il impossible in many |
instances for roads to govern their ae- |
tions, either on the line of self-protec- |
ton or of preservation of the commercial |
interests of their territory, and it will be |
seen that the question of proper adjust |
ment is one of serious import.
DANGERS FOR TRAFFIC COMPANIES.
"There are many dangers besetting |
transportation companies, as well as |
commercial institutions, as a result of |
the present systems of management, |
which makes il possible for q single in |
dividual to disorganize and disrupt nat |
ural commercial relations, and to destroy |
the value of capitalized property. A |
single act of bad faith, and bad faith is |
quite the rule, may result In rate war |
causing injury 20 railway earnings and |
commercial values that is appalling. 1t |
often occurs that these great losses result |
from management that is shielded by the |
government having control of roads, for |
the moment released from obligations,
the burden of which is still carried by |
roads IN the same territory, and this is
one of the unhappy features of the pres
ent state of affairs. Rate wars and I'M
stable rates are the curse of the country |
and It's railroads.
HOPES FOR THE FUTURE.
Yet we will not despair. The same
genius and public spirit that created
these institutions of commerce and of |
transportation will preserve them. The
wisdom of the people will not fall. Let
us say that we are not yet through the
schooling period; that we are gathering
experience for the final adjustment of
these great questions, but let US hope
that the time is near at hand when, out
of the wisdom of many years struggle