East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-06-14

The first emphatic demand ever
made upon the railroads of oregon
by a representative and powerful
body of citizens was launched by the
transportation committee of the Or
egon Development league in the spec
ial session of the league held at Inde-
pendence this week.
So vital and important to the citi-
zens of oregon is this report that the
East Oregonian gives place and pub
licity to it, in hopes that the people
may be aroused and the railroads
made to feel the earnestness of their
demands. The report is as follows:
1t is neither the desire nor the in
tention of this committee to make
any unjust attack upon corporations
or transportation companies. We
fully recognize that in this age rail-
roads are vital and essential factor
I in our country's development, and we
! favor reasonable encouragement to
1 their management and equitable res
ulation of their rates and operation.
The people of Oregon have invar-
1 iably treated corporations with fair
ness and liberality and capital in
vested in them has been at all times
accorded complete and impartial pro-
| lection of our laws. No state in the
Union has been, more liberal in its
treatment of railroads.
Your committee believes the time
/ has now come when there should be
demanded in return that the state
and it's commercial and industrial in
terests be treated in the same spirit
of liberality and fairness by the rail-
road managers.
Record of Oregon.
This state has never enacted any
so-called derelict legislation against
transportation companies.
On the other hand, 1t is assessing
their lands, rights of way and rolling
stock upon less valuation than any
state i'm the west.
There Is no law in oregon taxing
their franchises or gross or net earn
ings, as in many other states.
Ten years ago this state repealed
its railroad commission law and has
| enacted no rate legislation.
| This state has even made 1t un'
lawful to deal IN cut-rate tickets oil
to dispose of unused transportation
other than to the corporations.
We have left the power to fi'
freight and passenger fares and thu
legitimate work of extending thei
lines to meet the needs of the coun-
try entirely in the hands of thes'
corporations, trusting to them to treS
the people with fairness and equity.
Justice TO the Railroads.
In a spirit OF justice we give credit
for all that has been done by the
railroads for the benefit of the state
Under the administration of C. H
Markham many industries were IA
vored and established in Oregon. The
Industrial departments of the roads
have co-operated with the people
and promoted production of frui
and dairy products. Mr.. Markham
successors have sought to maintain
policies of development, but have
either been overruled in their decis'
ions or have lacked the authorit!
to initiate so that the movement to-
ward lower rates and extension O.
markets for Oregon products has re
Gently made little progress.
This state is indebted to the rail
roads for reducing passenger fares tC
8 cents per mile on their main lines
and for securing low rates to th'
Lewis and Clark fair and to many
| state and local gatherings. For al
these advantages the public is dul!
grateful. and justly believes that eacl
concession resulted in good alike tC
the state and the railroad making it
Justice no the People.
We believe that railway corpora
ltions are creatures of the state, pos
sessing valuable franchises which
have come from the people, as wei
as vast grants OF public lands always
becoming more valuable by action o.
congress. and that they owe a dut1
to the people which they have no
fully performed.
"A duty to the state of oregon is in
cumbent upon them, which grows oui
of their occupancy OF its territory un
der priceless franchises bestowed
and inalienable, and such duty car
only be performed to the people o.
the state by assumption on the par
of the companies of their full share II
the development of this territory
This can be done by expending por
ton of their earnings within the STATE
in the construction of such new line'
and extensions as will not only NEE
the needs Of the people, but assist il
the development of the latent re
sources Of this commonwealth, to th'
end that acting together this stat'
may advance to that status in popu
lation and material wealth which 1T
great resources entitle II.
Oregon Railroads Prosperous.
This committee believes that in M
state in the Union are the railroads
doing a more profitable business Of
!. enjoying more prosperity as financia
enterprises than in Oregon. We are
informed that the trains on the mair
line of the Southern Pacific in Ore
gon earn more per mile than on an!
, other division of the Hartman sys
tenn.
, The earnings OF the o. r. & N. fol
1903 are reported at about $1,000,
600, and nearly all this money wa
made in oregon. One piece of new
railroad in eastern Oregon, from
; Biggs to Shaniko, said to be thu
personal property of e. H. Hartman
is reported to be paying over 20 pei
ceM annually on its capitalization.
AS Oregon has no law requiring an!