The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-03

reaped the benefit of the resulting ec9n-
omy in operation.
When the country in our imperial DO
main, remote from the waterways that
led to the centers of population, had de-
veioped so that there was q surplus Of
products above the demands of local con-
sumption, it was found that railroads
could carry to the markets, at profit to
the carrier and the farmer, stuff that had
heretofore Fotted on the ground. The
pioneers of Iowa remember those days.
Then every community wanted a IA i
road. Counties and towns bonded them
selves il many cases into bankruptcy,
and the shark with the paper road
sWindled the public out of millions. This
raised whirlwind of prejudice against
all railroads without discrimination, on
the part of the people, which vas not
Iessened by the subsequent period when
railroad stocks and bonds were exploited
fer speculative purposes, as is now being
done with the stocks and bonds of in
.lustrial combinations. Drastic, but ird1s-
eliminating legislation was enacted in
many states, against the beneficial ana
the INSCRIPTIONS alike, in which meas
ures the so-calIed granger element was
particularly enthusiastic. Iowa was one
Of the states especially active in this re-
spect, and a deep rooted sentiment was
worked up in the agricultural districts,
by deInagoyues, against railroadS as an
evil. The result was the squeezing of the
water from railroad stocks and the cor
rcction of many abuses, with the inculoa-
ton In the minds of railroad magnates
that railroads must depend for their dtvi-
dend producing capacity, On the patron
age of the people, and that it paid in the
long run to deal fairly with the public.
Acting on this principle, In Iowa alone
this year the Chicago & Northwestern
has planned to eXpend between $l,O0000
and IS 100000 n improvements, and the
ether roads doing business in this state
arc not behind. A similar movement is
in progress in the other states in the
Union, based not on speculation, but on
the business principle that there is money
in satisfactorily serving the public ana
in giving the best possible service at the
smallest possible expense to the public
the theory that underlies the creation of
or large CORPORATIONS in the industrial
world-a theory that every corporation
must put into practice if it survives the
storm of popular prejudice that Is peat
ing against the trusts
The ideal relationship between the rail-
roads and the people has by no means
been attained There are abuses prac-
ticed by the roads that must be c5rrec--
ed and there are popular prejudices that
must be allaved. Railroad managers sec
this and are working along this line be-
cause it is business to do so. Thinking
Deople are also beginning to see that 1t
is damaging to their best interests to keep
I'D an indiscTtuinGte warfare against
railroads And good progress toward a
better understanding is being mad, as
the full force of inter dependence becomes
anDarcnt The advent Of the railroad
made possible Iowa's great agricultural
snd manufacturing development. which
Is not vet in sight of its high water
mark. 1t is pretty generally admitted on
ali sides that this high water mark can
be the quickest attained, to the greatest
nrofit of people and railroads, by ruo-
binp It in on each other. TIL is begin
,,inp TO be SEEN and mutual self interest
is leading to a better understanding
There Is still, however, one phase OF
the old popular grudge against railroads
that wastes annually millions or dollars
of the public's money. This Is the as
position, encouraged by flock OF pestlf-
erous lawyers, to gouge railroad when
ever an excuse arises over alleged dam
ages to precipitate a lawsuit. Invariably
claims are made, by the advice of these
LAWYERS, who agree to fight the case for
half what is got out of the company, for
twice or three times what fair compen-
sation would be for the injury sustained.
A jury can generally be counted on to be
tinged more or less with this grudge
against railroads, with the result that II
a verdict is rendered against the road
for more than fair compensation the
road fights 1t to the highest court and
then over again If possible. 1t costs the
railroads of the country millions of dol
lars year to fight these cases, and yet
they, in the aggregate, save money by 1t.
Under present economic conditions the
patrons of the road receives a benefit
from the saving thus effected, but at the
same time the public not only has to
pay ultimately the millions the railroads
expend in litigation of this character,
but the taxpayers have to foot the bill
of millions besides In maintaining the
courts while occupied In this kind of liti-
cation over and above the fees paid by