The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1905-10-20
WILL TRY TO BEFuDDLE PEOPLE
Railroad Companies Inangurate Cam
paign Of Education
. Chicago press dispatch saws:

= tuiCdSo pfSSS ulSpdIC0 says.
"In anticipation of a bitter fight for
rate legislation in congress this winter,
the railroads of the country are con-
Quoting a campaign of education the
object of which, according to the high
est railroad authorities, is to prevent
any successful tampering by President
Roosevelt and lesser agencies with
present conditions.
This campaign is being pushed into
every city, hamlet and section Of the
country. For the support Of the move
ment there is available 'as much
money as is needed From such in
formation as is procurable, the cam
paign of education is costing the rail-
roads about 81, 100000 a year Some
railroad men say the estimate is too
high, but others believe the cost will
be more. The money is handled in the
east, and western railroad men profess
to have only a vague idea of the total
expenditures.
"The particular brand of 'educa-
ton figuring in the campaign is orig
inal with the railroad propagandists. Ut
is the sort that 'educates' the public
without the public becoming aware it
is being educated The of
the campaign merely loose the 'educa-
%tional' germ, and the public is ex-
pected to awake to find itself 'edu-
Gated in all the reasons why roads de-
clare President Roosevelt is wrong in
urging railroad rate control.
"Within the last few months field
headquarters for directing the 'edu-
cation of the west to the iniquities of
the president s proposed fight has been
established in Chicago. 1t began opera
tions without seeking publicity. APP
parently it did not want the people to
know they were about to be 'edu-
Gated It's plan was to run the play
fully up to the western public, cry
'Tag! You re educated and then
hide before the public could get a good
look at it. This game now is in full
swing.
"The organization of the 'educa-
%tional' bureau was left by the railroads
to the firm of Michaelis & Ellsworth Of
New York. The primary purpose be-
ing to educate the public through the
newspapers, newspaper men were Sc
|lected to man. the various Offices. The
salaries paid are liberal, considerably
more so than newspaper salaries in the
various cities where branches have
been established. Experience in rail
road affairs was not necessary, the
chief qualification being ability to get
the newspapers, metropolitan and
country, to print as news matter favor
able to the railroads. The original
plan included the use of advertising
space to be paid for as such for the
dissemination of matter which even
the sanguine promoters had no hopes
of inducing the newspapers to publish
as news. A large quantity of this
matter was prepared, but for some I'M
explained reason, it has not been used.
"The Washington office is a strong
factor, it being the duty of the man in
charge to unload pro-railroad argu-
ments in the guise of news on the
Washington correspondents throughout
the country
The above press dispatch probably
explains how Passenger Traffic Man
ager Fee of the Southern Pacific COM
pany came to send the Silver State the
"pink Slips referred to in the past
two or three issues of this paper. If
the people allow themselves to be
" educated" into the belief that the
present freight and passenger rates
charged to Nevada points are just
they don't deserve any better treat
ment than they have been getting
Winnemucea Silver State.