Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-06-13
SENATOR C. D. CLARK
TALKS ABOUT THE PROSPERITY
OF OUR RAILROADS.
Shows Difference in Their Condition
Now and Under Democratic Admin
istration-M More Men at Work Now
and More Wages in Circulation.


and More Wages in Circulation.
Washington. There Is no better in
dex of business prosperity or depres-
sion, in the United States than the con-
dition of the railroads. said Hon. Clar-
ence d. CLARK, United States Senator
from Wyoming. who is chairman of
the Senate Committee on Railroads.
when railroads are carrying lots of
passengers We know that the people
have money tn spend in travelling. or
that business compels them 10 travel.
AS the movement of freight grows, the
volume of business transacted is on
the increase. The larger the earnings
of the railroads the more satisfactory
are, not only their own balance sheets,
but also those of the merchants and
manufacturers who are shipping and
receiving tie goods.
Between the years 1898 and 1895
there was loss of $3.50 per mile in
the passenger earnings Of the rail
roads of the United States. In 1895
thee freight earnings of all the roads
were S776 per mile less than In 1898.
Adding this to the loss of passenger
earnings gives total loss Of 81 ,12G per
mile in 1895, us compared with the
freight and passenger earnings for all
the roads in 1893. Apply this to the
10000 miles of road in operation in
that year, and we have a total loss of
$202, $50, 200, and for all the roads.
Now, look at the other side of the
picture. In 1898 both passenger and
freight earnings had begun to pick up
again. the passenger earnings in that
year being $40 per mile more than In
1895, and the freight earnings being
S643 more per mile than in 1895. Last
year the showing was even better, the
gain in passenger earnings being SfS1
per mile over 1895, and in freight earn
ings $50 per mile over 1895. This gives
us q gain of $3.50 per mile In 1852. over
the earnings of the roads 10 1875, or
total of $t76, 100000 more earnings
from these two sources last year than
In 1897.
"Nog, summarize these figures. and
we h i've in 1898 total gross earnings
of 81 900 per mile. In 1895 the total
gross earnings were only $1,000 per
mile. a loss of $1040 per mile within
two years In 1898 the total gross
earnings were $6.775 per mile, an in
crease Of S705 over 1898, but last year
the total earnings We're 81 067 per Fnile,
an increase of S1,007 over 1895
Naturally enough, when the rail-
roads were carrying lever passengers
and less freight In 1895 and their earn
ings were falling away, they began to
economize and mole than 100000 men
were discharged during the second adj
ministration of President Cleveland. In
1898, during President McKinley's ad-
ministration, S9,524 men bad been re-
employed, making a total of 956 more
men employed in 1898 than there were
In 1893 Last year the railroads in
creased their additional help to up
wards of 100000 men, and the total
additional amount of wages circulated
throughout the country, from this one
source alone, exceeded 800, 100000.
But this Is NOT all Business pros
perity is continuing in the country,
and bids fair to continue. Arrange
ments have been made for the CON
struetion of bout $1,000 miles of new
road during the coming year. The av-
erage number of employees is 474 to
every 100 miles of road, SO that this
new construction means employment
for 279,660 more railroad men, and
this means the further circulation of
$3.50. 100000 more In wages. Unless
business seemed to he on a sound ba-
sis. and the railroad managers felt that
It would continue SO, you can be qUite
sure that such large additional expen-
dltures of money for wages would be
instantly stopped
"A few more facts and l have done.
The dividends paid by the railroads of
the United States decreased under
President Cleveland's second admins
tratiou by S12 e10O41 In the three fol
lowing years there was an increase in
dividends paid of s13,251.752, thus
bringing the earning capacity of the
roads in 1898 back 90 condition
little better than 1t was in 1892. The
net earnings Of the roads decreased
by almost S30.000.ooo IN President
Cleyeland's time, but have since in
creased by almost SGi,J00,000
During MIR Clev2lanIs second term
railroad building was almost al u
standstill, there beiRg only 1853 miles
built. Bur in 1saS and 1899 there were
6,T19 miles built, and there will be
about $4,000 miles built this year, In
the total freight tonnage carried by
the railroads there has been an in
crease of littlc more than % per cent
under the present Republican admin
istratiou. The total passenger earn
ings were SOS. 55I.4I6 in tS92 In 1895
they amounted TO only S260,9I9,7il,
showing a loss of So. tS21, 1876 In 1898
the earnings We're $212.5aS59l. show
| ing "A gain over 1895 OF $1I, 500, $50 ia
| passenger earnings alone"
! Smoke Upi
Wyomings product of wool this year
will reach the twenty million pound
mark. which al Is cents viii make a
handsome total of 100000 y am
for placing wool on the free list" says
Mr.. Bryan, The same wool under free
trade Cleveland would have brought
-v1.- GCnn ON V,,+ fht. iu vorr mine.