Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-09-20
RAILROADS AND THE PEOPLE

t1onss the one TO the Other.
On the occasion of the recent OPEN
ing of the new and magnificent
terminal station of the Missouri Pa
cific & Iron Mountain, the Wabash,
the Louisville & Nashville, the Balti-
more Sc Ohio Southwestern and the
Big Four at St Louis, begun five years
ago, President NJ. z. 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 its fruition in, as
he declared, 1.-The best, the most artis-
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 =
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-
ieled development and prosperity OF
this country during that time was it's
direct result Ind that its future de-
pended upon the success of its 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
1.-The grea test, 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 IL 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 no 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 If the syS-
TEN OF protit-sharing among employees could
be adopted, I have always believed that it
would be a cure for these evils; but before this
can be successfully adopted We must secure
the profits. We ought also esta blish
system OF pensions for those disa-
bled in the service, and for annuitieS
for those who have been worn out serving
their corporations. There must also be
better feeling built up between the railways
and the communities they serve. The situation
is much improved now and it is not as fashion
|
bodies to abuse railways and their manage
ment. but there many states and commune
! ties to-day where there exists feeling of
great hostility towards railway corporations.
| This is unfortunate and it is the duty OF rail-
| way managers and of statesmen to discover
wherein lies the trouble and endeavor to cure it.
To-day more than One-flfth OF all the rail-
ways in the country are in the hands of re-
| ceivers, and nearly one-ffth of all the invest
ment in railways is unproductive This repre-
| SenJS capital of over two thousand millions
! of dollars. And yet you viii find people
| preaching a crusade to-day through the
| ballot box against railway property and
| its management. You viii 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 have managed their railways arbi-
| trariIy; they have endeavored to main
| tain that they private corporations
| and 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 q railway corporation is not
| private partnership; it is a great public in
stituton 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 it has come to Stay ana that it will take
the place of the disjointed legislation of the diff
ferent states, and out of il future good to the
business communities and to the railways can
| be obtained
I'VE must have certain reforms, and railway
managers must work these out subject to law.
and legislation 1t seems to be the consensus
of opinion that the interstate commerce law
| contracts between railways, 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 will not bear higher
| rates of transportation. but terminal charge
| should be exacted all freightS. as it is in
! England One cent a hundred pounds terminal
charge would noe be fe-t by the great mass OF
| the people, but 1t would bring prosperity and
| comfort to the railway owners and employees
| and would enable them to better serve the
| communities which their patrons
| The system OF running passenger trains
and OF making passenger fares must be
changed We haul Pullman or agner car