The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-16
Suggestions to Prevent
Railway Litigation.
COST NOW ENORMOUS
Some Advance Ideas ou the Subjacl
by Mr.. S. A. Jones, Of Waynesville,
Who Favors a Universal Rail.
road Accident Insurance Com.
pany for the Purpose.

To the Editor:-Along with the
thought of government ownership OF
our railroad systems, and the antici-
pated legislation by Congress at an
early date TO give greater power to
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sions, to the extent of fixing rates, a
few thoughts looking along the lines
OF better treatment of the railroads
as factors. from the physical stand
point of their being the greatest me-
chanical benefactors to promote the
progress of civilization. enlightenment
and Christianity yet devised by man
Few people in this day and time oi
wholesale and general abuse of rail-
roads, separate the physical and me-
chanical from the mental element in
volyed. An automobile is a very con-
venient vehicle. very Servicable and
ornamental one, and u public benefit
to mankind. so long as the man who
runs ii does not lose the human men
tality in the physical. and mechanical
makeup OF the machine. When he
does this he becomes regardless OF
results TO other people. so long as the
best mechanical results are obtained
i'm speed and service from the ma
chine in his effort to excel. He feels
not his own pulse. but the pulse of a
metallic machine, void of heart pull
sations coursing through his blood. and
regardless of result, takes chances his
human heart is whispering every mo-
ment Don't, don't don't!'
So with our 9Eeat railroad systems
SO sharp has become the competition
between our great lines, the question
of the great risk of human life is be-
coming more endangered every day
Not that the managers. as individual
men, are void of human. sympathy,
but they have let mechanical ambition
overcome human feeling. Very few
people realize that the actual opera
tives of the majority of the railroads
have not one dollar beyond their sala-
ries involved ia its financial success
or failure. This will hold good from
vice-president 10 section boss on the
track, and in many cases from the
president to the section boss. Not one
general manager in ten. owns stock
in the road they manage They are
chosen for their ability TO successfully
cope with the public, and competing
lines. By the stock and bond specu-
lative system inaugurated in New
York. the railroads furnish the hr6est
per cent of gambling stocks handled
on Wall Street today. and yet these
stocks represent the soundest founda-
ton principal of industrial progress
and civilization. The actual operatives
of the mechanical elements of the
railroads are mastered, ruled, and di-
rected by men, who have no eye fol
any goal save one that insures the
advance today of the stock of his line
or the lowering tomorrow of the
stock of competing line. The salaried
man. from president to section boss,
is kept at the point that the day he
does not overcome the competing lines,
in contests for speed and rates, that
is to boom the stocks and bonds OF
his road, must hunt another job
Hence the common saying, THE safe
ty of the public is secured by the
ripfd discipline required of the rail-
road operatives" but the rigid dis
cipline is more to boom stock and
bonds than to save life. Having had
some experience in the operative de-
partment | have profound sympathy
for all operatives of the railroad, from
the active president down to the sec
ton boss, who must find the loose
spike. the broken fish iron, or decayed
tie behind every train that passes. to
know in his heart that he has not neg
lected the least precaution to protect
the incoming train, laden with human
lives and souls. from wreck. rms
brings us to the line of thought that
has instigated the writing of this let
Ter.
Just now the country is being en-
lightened along the line of the man.
agement. and the policy followed by
the greatest. and l believe to be the
highest rated. in point Cf safe, con-
servative management. of any ilsur-
ance company in the world. If olly
a Kaleidoscope view has yet been
had of the many shades of the man
agenent of this company. it Will GER
tainly be a dark day for many Il home
throughout the civilized world if it
should prove those who have been try
ing to protect their loved ones, have
fed their money to a confidential ma
chine. as this company is now char
acterfZed by the New York Insurance
Commission. If the policyholders suf-
fer under what was supposed to be
such an immaculate management of q
sacred institution, what must the great
mass of people expect from the higher
up management, among those who
control the speculative possibilities OF
the railroad stock? Surely the people
will look along other lines for safer
life insurance, and for safer protection
in travelling, as travelling is the great
est source of the accident danger that
the great mass of humanity haze TO
contend with. A late report states
that there is docketed in New York
State for the year 1904 suits by people
claiming damage from accidents alone
over S450O00 against the New York
CITY Street Railway or rapid transit
lines. Even in our neignboring city.
AsheviIle, il is stated that over $45,-