The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-01
THE oREeoNIAN HAS THE FLOOR

Stuyvesant Fish, president Of the Illi-
nois Central and Yazoo and Mississippi
Valley railroad companies, appeared
before the industrial commission at
Washington on October 81 and made
an exhaustive argument in favor Of the
shipment via New Orleans Of products
of the Mississippi valley intended for
export. The speaker claimed the ad-
vantage OF a descending grade and
averred, with equal tonnage, freight
could be carried more cheaply To the
Gulf seaport than to New York. Rail
road rates have become 50 low, Mr..
Fish said, that river transportation is
no longer a formidable rival Of the rail-
way companies.
Mr.. Fish, in answering the summons
of the commission, presented an in
teresting statemen; Of the scope Of the
railway lines operated in the Mississippi
valley and states tributary thereto. He
declared that railroads are of the peo-
pie and for the people because they
are permanently attached to the soil
and insisted that capital invested in
them is irrevocably dedicated to pub
lie service. He announced he presumed
it was for this reason the commission
had called so many presidents Of rail-
roads into its presence Washington
dispatch.
There are two points in Mr.. Fish's
testimony which the Astorian desires to
commend to the thoughtful considera-
tion Of the oregonian. First, Mr. Fish
says, with the advantage Of the de-
scending grade, the products of the
Middle West can be more cheaply car
ried to the seaport of New Orleans by
rail than by water to New York. and
that rail rates have become so low, that
river transport ltion is no longer
rival OF the railway companies. He
says. second, that railroads are OF the
people and for the people" because they
are permanently attached to the soil,
and that capital invested in railroads
is irrevocably dedicated TO the public
service What does the Oregonian
think of tLis kind Of talk as applied to
the transportation situation in the
Northwest?
Let 1t distinctly be remembered that
these are ma. the utterances Of some
tyro in the school OF economics, They
are not the socialistic rawlings Of some
worthl $ demagogue, enyiOus Of the
prosperity of thrift and who seeks to
excite prejudice against the private
rights Of corporate wealth. They are
the deliberate and well-considered
of master in the science
of transportation. They are the care
fully prepared opinions Of the president
Of one Of the greatest railroad compan-
les in existence-the suggestions Of a
recognized authority throughout the
Mississippi valley on all questions Ie-
lating to the physical and commercial
development Of that vast region.
There is food for thought in these
weighty arguments Of the president Of
the Illinois Central There is a text
here from which the Oregonlan can
preach splendid sermon 20 the Harri-
man -Nohler-Hjll combination and the
toilers Of the Northwest. Let every
paper in the Inland Empire reprint
this testimony Of President Fish. Per-
haps it may be brought thus more /
'orcibly to the attention Of the Oreeo- !
1ian. Perhaps in this way the people q
II the NOrthwest can get some express
sion from the Oregonian on the impor- ]
ant subject Of the applicability Of
President Fish's views to the situation
With whicn they have here to contend.
rbe Astorian will defer further COM
nent on President Fish's arguments ,
until the Oregonian can have the first
.hance to be heard.
The Oregonian has the foorl