The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-07-23
OGDEN RAILROAD
MANS SUCCESS
Selection Of E. E. Clark for In
terstate Commerce Commits
sion Warmly Approved.
RAILWAY AGE MAKES
FAVORABLE COMMENT
Clark viii Strengthen Careful
and Conservative Element
of Commissions

The select tion of Edgar e. Clark as
one of the two additional members of
the Interstate Commerce commission Is
meeting with general approval all over
the country. Mr.. Clark & many friends
in Utah and all over the intermoun-
tain country will hail with satisfaction
his unqualified success in national af-
fairs Mr. Clark, now head of tho Or
der of Railroad Conductors, was for
years one of the railroad boys of the
West He climbed the ladder, rung by
rung, from brakeman up, and for many
years run out of Ogden on tho Union
Pacific as conductor He was married
in 1880 to Lavinia Jenkins of Ogden,
who, in November, 1908, was taken
from him by death.
Appointment Warmly Approved.
Commenting on Mr.. Clark!s appoint
ment the Railway Age says:
"The selection of Mr.. Edgar e.
Clark, who for the last sixteen years
has been the head of the Order of
Railway Conductors of America, and
who for an equal period had been in
active railway service, as one Of the
two additional members of the Inter:
state Commerce commission, will be
warmly approved by those who have
watched his career as the head of
great labor organization. Much will
depend upon the wise exercise of the
new powers granted to the commission.
and Mr.. Clark will undoubtedly
strengthen the careful and conservative
element in its membership, Though
some will undoubtedly wish that a traf-
ic man might have been designated, it
is clear that Mr.. Clark's broad identi-
fcatiop with the chief interest to be
regulated affords an excellent basis for
valuable service as a commissioner.
His commendable conservatism as
member of the Anthracite Coal Strike
commission is recalled by many, and
constitutes still another reason for con-
fdence that he Will not be led astray
by noise or use his position to further
personal or political ends.
"'Tbe broadness of Mr. Clark IS views
is well shown in an address delivered
at the anniversary banquet of the Or
der of Railway Conductors held IN Chi
cago on December 81, 1905. The sub
ject Of the address was Our Order,
and in the course of it Mr., Clark spoke
as follows:
Mr. Clark's Views.
We do not believe in Government
ownership OF railways, largely because
we do not believe in being owned. The
very nature of the business of the
railroads and the manner in which
their operation affects the business and
lives of the people make tho employees
Quasi-public servants. If the Go en-
ment actually owned the railroads, II
would have more than quasl-owncrship
of the men employed thereon, We don t
believe in too much parentallsm. it
dwarfs individuality and discouragss
initiative. We do not subscribe 10 the
theory that the Government shoull fix
the prices Of the necessities or comforts
Of life, as has been proposed by some.
the Government to fix the price of
commodities it must of necessity tiX the
wages Of those engaged in producing
those commodities. And if that be
proper it is also proper-an1 only one
step farther in the same liAc-for tho
Government to say how much of these
commodities we shall eat or use.
"We do not exactly understand why
railroads should not be permitted TO
apply certain rules of wholesale and
retail trade TO their business, as is done
by those who, in other lines Of business,
are forever finding fault with the rail.
roads. We do not exactly understand
facturers, and dealers in nearly every.
thing that is considered among the ne
cessaries of life in this age should be
permitted TO raise, and keep rising,
the prices of these things in which they
deal. while railways are sternly for
hidden to agree TO maintain existing
rates
The subject Of absorbing interest
Just now is rate regulation by Govern
ment commission, The real question
at issue has been badly clouded by
lengthy and involved dissertations on
the evils Of discrimination and rebates
and of overca pitalization. We are nhie
to see that each of the three is bad
We understand that rebating and dis.
criminatio are now prohibited by law
We would be glad if the other could be
successfully legislated against But we
are waiting for someone to tell us why
or how Government-made rate will be
more immune from being rebated or
made discriminatory than one made BY
the horned and coven. hoofed officials
of the railroads. If it is right for the
Government to say what the railroads
shall receive for services, does it not
naturally follow that it should also be
responsible for the expenditures and
| the results Of operatlon2