Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-06-12
SENATOR c.. D. CLARK
TALKS ABOUT THE PROSPERITY
OF OUR RAILROADS.
Shows Difference in Their Condition
Now and Under Democratic Admin
istratiOn-More Men at Work New
and More Wages in Circulation.

Washington.-"Th 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 ID. 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 to spend in travelling, or
that business cOmpels them to 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
but also those of the merchants and
manufacturers who are shipping and
receiving the goods.
Between the years 1893 and 1895
there was a loss of $3.50 per mile in
the passenger earnings Of the rail
roads of the United States. In 1895
the freight earnings of all the roads
were $776 per mile less than in 1893.
Adding this to the loss of passenger
earnings gives a total loss of 81, 126 per
mile in 1895, as compared with the
freight and passenger earnings for all
the roads in 1898. Apply this to the
100000 miles of road in operation in
that year, and we have total loss of
$500, 100000, 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 S1S1
per mile over 1895, and in freight earn
ings 1901 per mile over 1895. This gives
us a gain of $3.50 per mile in 1899, over
the earnings of the roads in 1895, or a
total Of S176,760,000 more earnings
from these two sources last year thar
in 1895.
''Now, summarize these figures, and
we have in 1893 total gross earnings
of $1,000 per mile. In 1895 the total
gross earnings were only $1,000 per
mile, a loss of S1O4O per mile within
two years. In 1898 the total gross
earnings were $6,775 per mile, an in
crease of S7O5 over 1895, but last year
the total earnings were ,067 per mile,
an increase of $1,O07 over 1895.
Naturally enough, when the rail
roads We're carrying fewer passengers
and less freight in 1895 and their earn
ings were falling away, they began to
economic and more than 100000 men
were discharged during the second adj
ministration of President Cleveland. In
1898, during President Mckinley's adj
ministration, S9,524 men had been re-
employed. making a total Of 9o6 more
men employed in 1898 than there were
in 1898 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 S1OO,0O0,O00.
''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-
struction of about $4,000 miles Of new
road during the coming year. The av-
erage number of employees is 414 to
every 100 miles of road, so that this
new construction means employment
for 279,66O more railroad men, and
this means the further circulation Of
$3.50, 100000 more in wages. Unless
INeo
sis, and the railroad managers felt that
it would continue SO, you can be quite
sure that such large additional expen-
ditures of money for wages would be
instantly stopped.
"a few more facts and [ have done.
The dividends paid by the railroads Of
the United States decreased under
President Cleveland's second admins
tration by S12,610,041. In the three fol
lowing years there was an increase in
dividends paid Of $13,251, 752, thus
bringing the earning capacity of the
roads in 1898 back to a condition
little better than it was in 1892. The
net earnings of the roads decreased
by almost $30,000,OOO in President
Cleveland's time, but have since in
creased by almost 500, 100000.
During Mr.. Cleveland's second term
railroad building was almost at a
standstill, there being only 3,549 miles
built. But in 1898 and 1899 there were
6,719 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 little more than % per cent.
under the present Republican admin
tstration. The total passenger earn
ings were 1898, 557, 476 in 1892, in 1895
they amounted to only $500, 949, 741,
showing a loss of $50, 627, 735. In 1898
the earnings were $272, 500, 591, show
ing a gain over 1895 of $11 ,659S5O in
passenger earnings alone"
On the Right Side.
The New York Herald has decided
that there can be no halfway station
fn this years fight. 1t is a plain case
of prosperity or retrogressiOn, and the
Herald will support the Republican
-.