Evening journal., 1906-09-26


can add anything TO what / have al
ready said and written to you Of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company's at
titude towards the proposed Delaware
and Chesapeake ship Canal, nor can
take any notice Of the allegation, which
is entirely without foundation, that the
company Is opposing the projejct with
out knowing who has undertaken to
speak for It.. - Yours truly,
A.. J. Cassatt.
President.
The following is a COPY Of my answer Z
to Mr.. Cassatt's letter:
Little Falls, n. " Sept. 22 1906.
Hon. A. j. Cassatt.
President Pennsylvania Railroad Co.
Dear Sir. Your letter has reached me
by way OF Wilmington Delaware.
President Thomas II. Savery, Of the
Wilmington Board Of Trade, has writ
ten me that he expected the hearing
would be September II, and I mailed
my written statement to the Delaware
and Chesapeake Ship Canal Commits
sion from Petoskey Michigan, on Sep
tember s. He subsequently, advised
me the hearing would be on September
20
After the receipt Of your letter.
prepared a supplemental statement
W dch / win mail or present In person
at the hearing. In this make your
position clear 10 the commission as I
assured you IN my former letter I
would do I trust II does you al
your road full justice In the matter. for
/ sincerely appreciate the repetition Of
your assurances that the Pennsyivania.
Railroad Company wlsi support thAs y.
forts for a more adequate canai ~
tween Delaware r'ver and Chesapeake
Bay.
Incosed is copy OF this supplemen-
tai statement. and also a copy OF my
original statement which. under the
circumstances. / thought you should re-
ceive from me.
You may recall that said. during
our personal interview, / had no re-
spect for one who would attack a rail-
lroad without reason just because II is
a railroad and that I had less respect
for one who would hesitate TO call In
question the acts OF a railroad. how
lever powerful. when he believed those
acts wrong.
It was entirely. IN that spirit that I
wrote my statement discussing certain
facts in railroad history which. I be-
llieve present railroad arrangements
would now hesitate to repeat OF Justify.
shall ever be as ready to defend
railroad or any other corporation
lagainst unreasoning prejudice and In
justice as to challenge such OF their
acts as do not square with their duty
to the public.
II you were simply disinterested
and humble citizen like myself cam
not conceive OF your taking any diff
7 ferent view than that stated by me N
e regard TO the wanton destruction Of the
I canal system by the railroads. In fact.
I even as the foremost railroad man Of
q our time, you win not, feel certain,
e approve OF Justify that unfortunate
s railroad history. for you are also a
r citizen Of Pennsylvania and an Amer
lean.
N We all realize that practices which
y used to be tolerated. II not approved.
d outside OF the railroad world as well
g. as inside. are no longer defended or
It carried on even by those who thought
It them once Justified as a questionable
l. means to laudable end.
IT You know, OF course. that I do not
T. lin any way presume 20 advise you.
IT imam so observing and far-sighted must
,a he fully conscious OF the changed
J. spirit Of the times The frank avowal
,s lof mast mistakes and the display OF
"a wise and fair railroad administration,
~ with impartial regard for the rights OF
u lbotb the stockholders and the public, is
! lfhe chief reliance OF the country to
cbeck the attempt TO swing the people
.e Ito the dangerous experiment Of the
q ownership and operation by everybody
y OF railroads.
: ne extent the railroads are re-
Il spon. for the agitation. No doubt,
4 dlctaf, " large shippers and exces-
sive conn 'tion explains, II Il does not
?. Justify. many indiscretions. But now
= that 1t is started, the agitation will
likely go on until public ownership Is
accomplished or railroad management
and administration is Of a character to
meet the approval Of a fair majority
OF the people.
Again thanking you for your prom
Used cooperation in the efforts to en-
- hance the commercial and industrial
4 welfare OF the people and the Greater
r security OF the country by obtaining ~
s the earliest practicable time a MOI
- adequate waterway connectfn~ Dci1
4 ,sarc river ar' Chcs7pc fe Dav I rc
man. Verv resrertf''li7 yours
S Alfred o. Crozier.
% WILMINGTON. Del
a The facts as to the destruction Of the
r various canals by the different rail-
e roads. set forth in my former state
ment. is history. II may be that to be
.: entirely just and fair it would be me-
!. cessary TO point out that Some OF such
transactions occurred years ago and
before many OF those now responsible
for the policies Of the railroads were
lin charge Of affairs.
n fContinued on Second Page)