The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-15
A Southern Railroad Manager.

The speech which Col. Henry S. Haines,
| general manager of the Plant railway and
steamship systems, made at the meeting of
the general time convention in New York
| last week is attracting a great deal OF at
tsntiol. 1t is a vey thoughtful speech,
1 and makes those who read it, and are capa-
! bic of undo standing it fully. think. 1t
4 shows that Col. Haines is a very careful
I and earnest student of tie many great
( and intricate problems thai the mightIeSt
4 agent Of modern civilization is constantly
presenting. Being a modest man, t le gen
eral public is not 50 well acquainted with
him as il is with thoss railroad men who
are famous for after dinner speeches or
great railroad deals, but the thousands of
brainy men, VINO manage the various de
partments of the vast railroad systems of
the country, know him well, and appreciate
his worth. Tney place hIm in the frs. rank
Of the few great railroad man of the c)un-
try-among the thinkers, who grapple sue
cessfully with the questions constantly
growing out of the changing conditions
which the railroads encounter
Having been three times elected president
of the time convection, he declined to be
candidate for reelection, but that organi-
cation, representing 172 railroad companies
and 1874 900 miles of railroad, refused to be
guided by his wishes in the matter, aud
unanimously reelected him. Such a com
pliment is like a triumphal arch erected
over the pathway of a conqueror.
Col Haines has no idle moments. When
not engaged with the great railway aud
steamship systems intrusted to his care, an
in the building uo of which he ha, bsen SO
largely instrumental, he is busy in his
library keeping abreast of the best thought
of the times, and seeking the solution OF thu
questions which his p )sitlon forces uool his
attention. He is prepared, therefore, wnsa
the occasion arises, to express views that
attract attention and co nmand respect for
their clearness aud force, and for their suy-
gesSions relative to present problems aud
problems not yet reached.
His speech before the time convention,
though brief, was suggestive, and in some
particulars n prophetic one. Among other
things he said: THE gcea. contention as
to discrimination ia rates is nearing an cad,
for the margin between the rate AMI the
cost per ton-mile has now narrowed down
to survival of the fistest. The d9ter.n "a
ton on the part of politicians to insure com
petition has but proved the truth of Stephen
sons assertion that where comoet ii IN is
possible combination is probable; the prohi-
bition Of pooling has hasbsned the abs orb
ton Of the weaker by the stronger
corporations, and the time is ap-
preaching when one Of two solutions
of the railroad transportation problem
must be attempted-either gov
eminent management or a territorial divis-
ion among private corporations. II no
other way can the difference between the
rate and the cost per t0n-mile be re luc,1 to
minimum, that minimum being the low
est acceptable return upon the capital in
vested. When that tim, arrives the era of
the railroad protector, of the maniDulator
of stocks and of the soliciting ,elt will
have passed away" In this brief extract
there are subjects enough for volume, and
it may be that volumes will be writtsl upoa
them within the next decade. At present,
however, there are very fow, probably,
who are prepared to express an Opiaiol al
to whether either of the solutions of the
railroad transportation problem mentioned
! by Col. Haines is the cor. ect one.