The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-05
90 RAILKAY coNeREss.
vioe-President FaiFbahlES opens II and
Extends q welcome % the DeleGAtes.

yios-President FAIRBANKS opens II and
Extendl q welcome 20 the DeleGAtes.
WASHINGTON. May l.---Tho International
Railway Congress was formally opened
at II O'Clock this morning BY Vios-Presi-
dent Fairbanks, who acted In that capacity
At the request Of PRECEDENT Roosevelt The
OPENING ceremonies took place In the ball
room Of the New willard Hotel, and there
were present about four hundred railway
men, a majority Of whom woro foreignerS'
A number Of ladies occupied the gallery
over the speakers platform.
After extending a welcome 10 the dele
gates, and speaking Of the rapid growth
Of railroads, Mr.. Fairbanlfs said:
I'm the rapid evolution Of this great In
etniment Of civilization II Il not unnatural
that abuses arise. As We survey the past
we can Sc how much experience and en-
liRhtsnsd Judgment have served 10 eradi-
cate many Of the wrongs which have
existed. Il Il too much TO expect, where
such an agency touches the social and In
dustrial interests Of % many people at 20
many points, that all Of the inequahties
should have been removed. We may hope
that q spirit Of Justice and Ampler knowl-
edge may lead 30 the removal Of the present
dsfects and the prevention OF evils In the
future.
The railway, by its very nature, is
charged with great public duties. It is
IN the highest sense q public servant and
must discharge its functions with impair
tiality, diving to all whom II serves just
treatment. Equality Of service Is the
predicate Of good relations between the
railway and the public II Is Of the utmost
importance that unjust favontism should
not obtain; that rates should be open and
enjoyed by ell alike. Nothing so quickly
and surely lays the foundation Of diStTust
and discomfort a. secrecy whore there
should be publicity, as inequality where
there should equality, TRANSPORTATION
charges must DO fixed with q just regard
to the owners, the employees and the pub
lie. The interests Of none can be disre-
earded without ultimate injury 10 ALL
After Vice-President Fairbanks had
finished speahing, Stuyvesant Fish Of the
Illinois Central Railway and president
OF the American section Of the congress,
delivered an address which was devoted
e q history Of TA4lwey ProgrOSs In the
locomotive TO the present time.
Mr.. Fish said II was q mistake for Arnert-
cana 10 assume that there was nothing
about the management and operation Of
European railways that they could
STUDY Wild luNdnIhkos lneIo ~ InlCn
for US TO learn from Europeans, he de-
clared, but American railway men are
not as q rule well acquainted with railway
conditions on the Continent. There IL a
much better knowledge Of the Tansporta-
ton business a. IL exists In Great Britain,
where the language Is the same as our own.
The foreign delegates to the congress
were entertained this afternoon with an
excursion TO Mount Vernon, a large party
going on special electric cars. At o clock
this evening the trustees Of the Corcoran
Art Gallery assisted by the Commissioners
Of the District Of Columbia, gave a re-
ception TO the delegates at the art gallery.
The American railway exhibit was visited
to-day by q large number Of foreign
as well as American visitors. The seventy
one buildings erected for the exhibit are
scattered over the grounds Of the Washing
ton Monument, within few minutes walk
from the principal hotels, and each exhibit
IL in charge OF men trained In the several
industries represented.