The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-05-05
and Twice as Many
More Expected In
Guiding 500 For
eigneFS
MEETING AT NATIONAL CAPITAL
SEVENTH IN CONSECUTIVE Or
pER-ADDREssEs ALSO DELIv-
Erred BY ERNEST elRARD AND
PRESIDENT FISH OF ILLINOIS
CENTRAL.
By Associated Press.

Washington, May 4.-The Interna-
tiOnal Railway Congress was formally
opened here to-day by Vice-President
Fairbanks. The congress, which is
held once every five years, is the
seventh in consecutive order and the
first to be held in the United States.
-Four hundred and fifty delegates are
present and twice as many more ex-
pected, OF whom three hundred are
from foreign countries.
After calling the congress to order
Mr.. Fairbanks delivered the following
address;
MIR. Fairbanks Address.
Tee very pleasant duty rests upon
NE to welcome you to the seventh ses-
sion of the International Railway Con-
gress. To each and all of you / ex-
tend cordial greeting. You who are
accredited with foreign countries,
need no assurance from me that the
American people welcome you with
that genuine and generous hospitality
with which yon are pleased to re-
ceive Americans.
Your assembling is always an event
of much significance, for it brings to-
gether men eminent in the political
economic and transportation affairs OF
the world, to deliberate upon themes
which have a very direct and consid-
cradle bearing upon the interests of
mankind.
instrument of Civilization.
The railway is essentially an instru-
ment OF our modern civilization. There
are many men living wlno were born
prior to the construction of the first
railway, either in England or the Unit
ed States. 1t was created to meet an
imperative demand and its growth has
been one of the most marvellous devel-
Opments of recent times. From a To-
cal creation, to meet local necessities.
it has expanded until it binds together
remote industrial centers. 1t crosses
and recrOSSes continents and brings
nearer each other the capitals OF the
world. 1t tends to knit the peoples
together by the ties of mutual respect.
1t has pushed forward the frontiers OF
civilization and brought the waste
places under cultivation. 1t has had
a profound influence upon the com
merce and customs of the people of
the entire world. 1t has become the
artery through which flows the world
commerce. giving life and vitality to
countless communities and manifold
Industries. II is inextricably woven
into the social and commercial life OF
millions of the human race.
MOI only has the mileage of the
railway rapidly and vastly increased
but there has been marked improve
ment in the character of its construc
ton and in the method of its opera
ton. Inventive genius, labor and un
limited capital have been employed
continually in devising new means o.
Increasing its efficiency and adapting
II 10 the increasing requirements o.
trade and commerce
Wrought a Revolution.
Science and art, labor and capital
have wrought a revolution. The wofl
OF construction and reconstruction l:
unending. The roadway, terminal!
and rolling stock, suited to the needs
of Yesterday, are inadequate for tn,
necessities Of today, and still mucl
larger provision must be made for the
requirements of tomorrow.
The universal. urgent and unremit
ting demand is for increased carrying
capacity, at a medium cost OF main
ienance and operation. Hand II
hand with this goes the demand 70
low rates Of transportation.
In the rapid evolution OF this grea
instrument of civilization 1t Is No
unnatural that abuses should arise
As We survey fne past, we can Sc
how much experience and enlightene
Judgment have served to eradicat
many Of the wrongs which have exist
ed
II is too much to expect, where sue
an agency touches the social and II
austrial interests of so many people
al SO many points, that all OF the IL
equalities should have been removed
We may hope that spirit OF Justlc
and ampler knowledge may lead I
The removal of the present evils an
the prevention of evils in the futur'
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