The Washington times., 1905-12-05

great trunk lines OF lateral and branch
lines.
1 urge upon the Congress the need Of
providing for expeditions action by the
Interstate Commerce Commission in ali
'hese matters, whether in regulating
rates for transportation or for storing or
for handling property or commodities in
transit
The history OF the cases litigated un-
der the present commerce act shows
that it's efficacy has been to a great de-
gree destroyed by the weapon OF delay.
almost the most formidable weapon in
the hands OF those whose purpose II is
to violate the law.
Let me most earnestly say that these
recommendations are not made in any
spirit of hostility TO the railroads. On
ethical grounds, on grounds OF right,
such hostility would be intolerable: and
on grounds OF mere national self-inter-
est we must remember that such hos
tility would tell aga st the welfare not
merely OF some few rich men. but OF a
multitude OF small investors, a multi
tuds Of railway employees. wage-work-
ers; and most severely against the in
terest of the public as a whole
Railroads Have Done Well
I believe that on the whole our rail-
roads have done we'll and not Ill: but
the railroad men who wish to do well
should not be exposed TO competition
with those who have no such desire,
and the only way 10 secure this end Is
TO give to some Government tribunal
the power to see that justice is done by
the unwilling exactly as It is gladly
done by the willing. Moreover, if some
Government body is given increased
power the effect will be to furnish au-
thoritative answer on behalf of the rail-
road whenever irrational clamor against
II is raised. or whenever charges made
against it are disproved.
ask this legislation not only in the
interest OF the public, but In the inter
est Of the honest railroad man and the
honest shipper alike, for 1t Ia they
who are chiefly jeoparded by the prac-
tices Of their dishonest competitors.
This legislation should be enacted in
spirit as remote as possible from hys-
terra and rancor. II we OF the American
body polite are true 10 the traditions
We have inherited we shall always scorn
any effort To make us hate any man be
cause he is rich. just as much as we
should scorn any effort TO make us look
down upon or treat contemptuously any
man because he is poor.
We judge a man by mis- condUct-that
is, by his character-and not by his
wealth or Intellect. If he makes his for
tune honestly. there is no just cause OF
quarrel with him. Indeed. we have
nothing but the kindliest feelings OF adj
miration for the successful business man
who behaves decently. whether he has
made his success by building or manag-
ing a railroad or by shipping goods over
, that railroad.
The big railroad mon and big shippers
are simply Americans of the ordinary
type, who have developed to an ex-
traOrdinary degree certain great bust
ness qualities They are neither better
nor worse than their fellow-citizens o.
smaller means. They are merely more
able I'm certain lines and. therefore. ex-
posed TO certain peculiarly strong
temptations.
These temptations have not sprung
newly into being; the exceptionally sue
cessful among mankind have always
been exposed 10 them: but they have
grown amazingly in power rs Il result
OF the extraordinary development Of in
dustriaiisni along now lines. and under
these new conditions. which the law
makers of old could not foresee and,
therefore. could not provide against
they have become so serious and nenac-
ing 10 demand entirely new rene
dies.
In Interest of Railroad Man.
Il is in the interest of the best type
Of railroad man aud the best type of
shipper. no less than of the public that
there should be governmental super
vision and regulation of these great
business operations, for the same rea-
son that il is in the interest OF the cor
poratiOn which wishes to treat its ON
ployes Alright that there should be an
effective employers liability act. or an
effective system Of factory laws 10 pre-
vent the abuse of women and children.
All such legislation frees the corpora
tion that wishes TO do well from being
driven into doing i'll. in. order TO COM
pete with its rival. which prefers to
do i'll.
We desire TO set up a moral standard.
There can be no delusion more fatal t.,
the nation than the delusiou that the
standard OF profits. Of business pros
perity. is sufficient in judgin~ any busi-
ness or political question-from rate.
legislation 10 municipal government.
Business success, whether for the IN
dividual or for the nation. iS a good
thing only so far as II is accompanied
by and develops a high standard Of con
duct - honor. integrity. civic courage.
The kind of business prosperity that
blunts the standard of honor that puts
an inOrdinate value on mere wealth. that
makes a man ruthless anu conscience
less in trade and weak and cowardly in
citizenship. is not a good thing at all.
but very bad thing for the nation
This Government stands for man
hood nrst and for business only as an
adjunct OF manhood
The question Of transportation lies at
the root Of all industrial success and
the revolution in trs nsportation which
has taken place during the last half
century has been the most important
factor in the growth of the new indus
trial conditions. Most emphatically we
do not wish 10 see the man of great
talents refused the reward for his tall
ents. Still less do we wish to see him
penalized: but We do desire to see the