New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-15
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Two Questions naturally suggest themselves III
This posture of affairs First are railroads honestly
managed? Second. can they BE 80 managed ana
BE profitable? By honest arrangement IS meant
simply the degree of honesty with when Tepn'a'c
merchants transact business with their custom
ers and the banks-a standard which takes INTO
occonnt the natural disposition of the trader TO
nut the best apples at the top Of the barrel, ana
admits the force of the proverb. 1t is naught, IT
is naucht. saith the buyer, but when he IS gone
his way then he boaseth.'
IN an address delivered before the commercial
Clnb Of this city in March. 1887. the subject
heinr the Interstate Commerce Act, whch H'u
inst become a law, Mr.. Charles FRANCIS ADAMS
dwet at some length upon the abuses WHICH
file bill was intended 10 remedy, lhe dlsioh'"'
methods in vogue in conducting railroad business
ord tho difficulties in the way Of any reform
JIis LANGUAGE was as usual, plain and vigorous,
and his condemnation of the trckery ana de''p-
tion resorted 10 by managers 10 secure udlh'' INV
"sneak-thicf method upon when the ouaNee'
was conducted was sweeping and severe IhoSc
things were not new 20 him. he SAID lie H''
-, of Thorn and denounced them when he
was a railroad commissioner "1oIe ne was
railroad president, and it had been intimat"d
HAT IN the latter capacity he hW hou
rofor,ood any of the abuses lie had pointed ont
:, tho former He explained the apparent IN
consistency by tie statement that he ana h''
,.rdsrStand that be was put where ne was L"
,nd,lgo in any QuiNOtic crusade at the expense
~ his stockholders, or that the Onloh racine was
nut in his hands 10 experiment win. U"'io
f.rs frankly saw" he added, that to-day, anu
every dsy since | have been pIesiceh' "I
,ailresd company. have gone On ana gone Oh
from necessity seeing those abuses had H'ho'lc"'
,r.ct,s4d under me, and yet power"sN 10 neal
them. except slowly and acting III concert WIN
,,bcrs | do not believe the Augcah s'"pe'
we're ceansed in day.
~. all Of Mr.. Adams's utteranccs, the address
WAS widely circulated and read ana was the 'h''h'
90 much comment as well on account OIL me
trankucs, OF It's admissions as Of the sa''hHt "'-
,upciatiou of tie sncak-thef methods IN vogue.
L., r.il,cav managers there was al hrs1 a as
,i,iop to epicr an indignant protcs, agar - SHch
,Aol..ale condemnation. and Mr. Adams was Sc
,..l,. criticised for bringing the whole business
If railway management into dlsrcpulc. But l"c
president, of companies BEGAN presently to SEE tn'J
Here was nothing personally offensive 10 '"'"i-
selvc, in the speech, and thai Tie Sh"p-"''l"-
coat WIS really intended for general managers
rho.o ,assrd it with a shrug 10 the franc man
.,e,s who IN turn handed II over 10 The general
t,cicl,t AGENTS from whom II went along down 10
,tation agents and clerks, until tie whole railway
service having tried IL on SAID II was H'nc loose
but ON the whole had the outlines Oh NJ In'\
,,crc not sncdk thieves 10 he sure; SUM- Soh' VI
,lc,r methods. which, however, were forced upon
,bcu. were nearly as bad as the Sh'ak-tmcl :.
r,o ,rosideuts Of course, ala not admit any
,bi,o They we're mot IN it. But Mr.. Adanss
hlurt discourse had produced some irritation, ana
:, h,c.ue necessary or seemed advisable 10 ta"c
soue action. not only 10 reform the Methods but
,od,.claim all previous responsibility for them 30
they entered. 10 slow music and with much ioi-
mality mo the Gcntcmcn's Agreement linen
,le railway service Of ;Lc country thrust It's tongue
IN j. check. winkcd laziy as ii icrked It's thumb
NJ the old duners,7 and applied itself win new
energy tn methods al which there had been
pause, hut TO which there had been no n'errHp-
ton.
The situation was not unlike one witnessed by
fine writer in his younger days when sittine Ia
AZ the recreation with cards known as draw
poker7 Ii was late in the evening, ono OF the
pl.yers was getting cross and touchy, another
tinsv and good -naturcd Some remark Of the lat
ter being construed impulin2 untruthiulneSs,
the former dropped his cards, saying, DO you
mean 10 say lie sir?" The game paused Inc
situation was as they say when a couple OF
kings are gOwering at each other over their beer
and hcsitatng whether or not 10 send ont ana
have somebody else killed-strsincd. The good
naturcd fellow didn't want 10 back down, ana he
didn't want 10 fight. An inspiration came 10 him.
What mean 10 say, said he, with tpsy gray
ity, is that any man who Will play cards Tor
money will lie. Funny. wasn't ii? He didn't
withdraw the insult; be simply made 1t general,
and il brought peace. well, said the man next
the dealer. that being settled. what are you go