The herald., 1897-02-09
the LOSSES OF RAILROADS
They Are Due to Misma na aeement and Not to
Adverse State Legislation

The dangers which threaten our rail-
road system, and there are dangers as
every student of the situation knows,
are those which threaten from within,
not from without. 1t has recently been
pointed out that, through rate reduc-
tions. railroads have lost on freight
alone $S7, 900 and on passengers
SIS. 500, ,OO0 or more than $780, o00, 900 in
five years. Legislation has not reduced
railroad rates. Not a single act in any
state has had such an effect in the five
years whose losses have been shown
to be. stupendous. losses the responsible
ity for which must, be located elsewhere.
The railroads are the country's great
est institution, without doubt. In close
touch with the people. they take up their
manufactures their products. and trans
fer them from point to point, to distrib-
uting centers, in the promotion of trade
ard commerce. But they do this in such
a way as to bring about the very losses
of which they complain and which some
think can be averted by legislative act
icn. Legislative action will never avail
to stop these losses. which are sapping
the vitals of the railroad system of the
country today, and which must sooner
or later end in disaster more wide
spread than any which has yet been ex
perienced.
The facts in the case are that. through
the non-adoption of proper methods of
dealing with shippers, and through the
adoption of improper methods in dis
elimination, the officials of railroads
have brought the whole trouble upon
themselves. 1t is only subsequent to
discrimination that legislative action
is ever taken, and then states seek to
protect those shippers who have been
fri,, ,it,a tod Or N C n inr
which, as facts abundantly prove, al
ways results in the adoption of lower
level Of rates than those from which the
start was made.
The situation just now presents some
peculiarly interesting features, and Of
fers opportunities which railroad man
ayers might we'll take hold of to the
present and future advantage of the
system as whole. 1t is an acknowl
edged fact that there is growing senti-
ment and powerful element in favor of
government control of railroads. For
what purpose? Simply that this very dis
elimination should be stopped. Control
is desired for that purpose and no other.
Then why do not the railways take ad
vantage Of this sentiment, and act in ac
cordance with its indications? Why do
they not call into their aid this powerful
element that is promoting it, and by
unity of action put in force such methods
of doing their business with the people
as will prevent all Determinations what
ever and leave no cause for compla int?
There Is no lack of evidence from rail-
road officials that decentralization in
rates has invariably had it's origin with
railroads, and not with the shippers, and
all the information on the subject, Off
cial and governmental, goes to prove
that cut has meant a cut for all time,
and not for period to be measured by
the will of the parties who have COM
mitted the act of lowering the charges.
1t is well enough known that the rail-
road system of the country is on the
down grade; that expenses have been
cut to the danger point and that the re-
tirement of many employees has resulted
in deteriorated property, and that the
outlook is anything but encouraging
positively discouraging, in fact. II
should be as we'll known that no legisla-
tive action can cure the patient whose
physical condition is threatened: that
the cause of the sickness must be re-
moved, and that 1t lies within the power
and is within the province, of the rail-
road managers of the country to apply
the needed remedies.-New York Daily
Stockholder