The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-09-29
RAILROADS AND the PEOPLE
An Excellent Address by, President nj. u.
Ingalls,, of the Big Four, on Their Ieia-
tiOna. the One to the Other.

/, Ing of the new and magnificent
terminal station of the Missouri Pa
cific s. Iron Mountain, the Wabash,
: the Louisville G. Nashville, the Balti-
| more g. Ohio Southwestern and the
Big Four at ST. Louis, begun five years
ago, President M. Il. Ingalls,, of the
Big Four, delivered an address on the
Necessity for Better Feeling Between
the Railways and the People" After
reviewing briefly the history of the eff
fort which had had it's fruition in, as
he declared, "the best, the most arts.
tic, the most commodious Of any rail-
way station in the world" and con-
graduating the people of st. Louis on
its completion, President Ingalls,
paid just tribute to DIR.
Taussig, president of the Terminal
association, to whose efforts a
large part of the success of the new
structure is due. He then referred to
the phenomenal growth of the rail-
roads in this country during the past
sixty years, and claimed the unparal-
.eled development and prosperity of
this country during that time was its
direct result and that its future de-
pended upon the success of it's trans
portation facilities. "That the rail-
ways should prosper" he said, lis to
the interest of every man, woman and
child in this great country. of ours, no
matter what his calling or business.
To attain this success there must be
better feeling between the railways
and the people, between the railways
and their employees"
Referring to the recent strike as
''the greatest, the most causeless and
the most unsuccessful" in the history
of strikes and questioning what CON
ditions made it possible that "a few
worthless demagogues" could induce
such large number of railway en-
ployes to neglect their interest and
forget the loyalty due the companies,
the speaker asked what was the cause
of the great dissatisfaction? AS man
ayers it behooves them to consider the
question carefully and endeavor to
find solution, for somewhere there
was an answer The great strike was
not without its lessons, one Of which
was that mo strike can succeed which
has no real ground of grievance and
which public opinion does not sup
port" Continuing, President Ingalls,
said:
But out Of it the wise men should seek for
the cause OF the evil and its cure. II the sys-
tenn OF proht-sharing among employees could
be adopted, have always believed chat II
would be cure for these evils; but before this
can be successfully adopted we must secure
the profits. We ought also to establish
system of pensions for those disa-
bled in the service, and for annulties
for those who have been worn out serving
their corporations There must also be |
o better feeling built up between the railways
and the communities they serve. The situation
is much improved now and 1t Is not as fashion
able as 1t used to be for newspapers and public |
bodies to abuse railways and their manage |
ment, but there are many states and communi- |
ties to-day where there exists feeling of |
great hostility towards railway corporations. |
This Is unfortunate and 1t Is the duty Of rail- |
way managers and Of statesmen to discover |
wherein lies the trouble and endeavor to cure IL.
To-day more than one-fifth OF all the rail-
ways in the country are in the hands OF re-
ceivers, and nearly one-fifth of all the invest
ment in railways is unproductive This repro
sents capital Of over two thousand millions
of dollars. And yet you will find people
preaching a crusade to-day through the
ballot box against railway property and
its management You will find all man
ner Of threats of hostile legislation
Taxes in every state and city are being
increased almost beyond endurance, and
yet these very communities depend for their
existence and their future prosperity upon the
railways which they would destroy. This must
be cured in some manner. The railway man
ayers themselves are responsible in many
cases and to a great extent for this trouble,
They hnva THAR rai
trarily; they have endeavored to main
tain that they were private corporations
end could not be controlled by the public
but that day has gone by. The wise
manager to-day has accepted the situation: he
fully realizes that a railway corporation is not
Q private partnership; it is great public in
stitution with public duties to perform and
with responsibility to the public and sub
ject In certain ways to public control Even
the interstate commerce law, which was bit
terly opposed by the great majority Of the rail-
way managers, has been accepted they all be-
lieve 1t has come to stay and that it will take
the place OF the disjointed legislation OF the diff
ferent states, and out of it future good to The
business communities and to the railways can
be obtained
1--WE must have certain reforms, and railway
must work these out subject to law
and legislation. 1t seems to be the consensus
Of opinion that the interstate commerce Law
should be amended; amended so as to legalize
between railways, SO as to bring this
vast interest Of our country under the protec-
ton as well as the burden OF the law. Our sys-
tenn Of freight rates must be changed. We can
not raise the rates on the great products which
are exported and which have to be carried
long distances for they win not bear higher ,
rates Of transportation, but terminal charge
should be exacted on all freights, as 1t is in
England. One cent hundred pounds terminal
charge would not be felt by the great mass of
The people. but it would bring prosperity and
comfort TO the railway owners and employees
md would enable them TO better serve the
which are their patrons.
1.-THE svatam of running f,aaea1oa- e-.t.. | y.