Omaha daily bee., 1906-04-01
PayroIIs Padded.

Among the shareholders OF some of the
privately owned railroads there is con-
siderable bitterness of feeling because
heavy salaries have been paid high railway
oficials. and there has beSn some padding
OF pay rolls. and stealing in connection
with contracts and franchises. The argu-
ment Is advanced that II the administration
had only been more economical the railway
profits on the three-y -year-average basis
would have been far larger and the amount
paid by the state in tine event OF the
adoption of the general scheme would be
far greater for each individual Some of
the shareholders are saying that they would
never have consented to the extravagances
of administration II they could have fore
seen this three-year-average rule, and
much hard feeling has resulted
Marquis Saionji in explaining the meas
ure for the benefit of the Japanese press
says that the naturalization of the rail-
ways in Japan and Corea is the most inn
portant OF the measures which have come
up since the war. The naturalization OF
the railways Of Japan has always been
contemplated by the government, but It has
not been regarded as practi y up TO this
time because OF financial. reasons. The
MARQUIS explained that the state merely
>
sake to construct railways. After the
Boxer troubles. continued Marquis Saionji,
the intentions of the government were
made particularly clear. The prosperity OF
the country. he argued. depended upon
the eficlency OF its communications. From
Hokkaido TO Kiushu. apart form the gov
ernment lines there were over thirty private
companies with a total mileage OF less than
1000. besides many other less important
systems scattered over the country. There
was no unity in freight charges, and pas
senger transportation was slow and behind
the age
Government 10 Improve service.
The marquis contends that governmental
control will do away with these evils. But
If the commercial arguments were not con-
vincing the marquis contends there can
be no debate about the matter of the state
eventually taking control because of mill
tary reasons. Even Mr. ISato. who has OBJ
jected TO the detailed methods as partak-
ing OF force openly announced that he
approves OF the theory OF the nationaliza-
ton OF railways. The members Of the
various political parties appear to agree
when discussing the general principles. but
they split into many factions and take
many different points OF view when ii
comes down to the details of financing
the proposition and taking over various
lines.
/ Some OF the opponents Of Marquis Sal
on1l do not hesitate TO say that the gov
ernment railroads are the worst managed
in the country and that although they
are compelled by competition to initiate
the methods OF the private railroads. they
| in reality make very poor attempt
/ Then again. the action OF the government
/ In fixing its own price for the purchase
/ of the lines is denounced as arbitrary.
| The private railway regime, it is urged,
worked splenddly during the late war,
and the new program IL is asserted viii
only mean another monopoly added 10
those already working OF about TO be in
augurated. namely, matches. tobacco.
beer, eamphor. salt and sugar.
Business in Manchuria.
A statement regarding Manchurlan trade.
while not absolutely oficial is as near
official as almost any statement can be
made here In Japan. The statement saws:
Many foreigners have tried to enter Port
] Arthur ana Dalny from AingkOw and An
tung, but have tailed because they are
| ignorant and adopt the wrong procedure
I According 20 the latest inyestigations tha
number OF residents IS as folows
foreigners, A.
Port. Arthur-Chinese, ISIS; japanese,
/ l,lGl. fOrei gners, 81.
kinchau-Chinesc, IS 05S. Japanese 1ss.
! foreigners 40.
The japanese residents at Dalny ara
fast increasing, those al Port Arthrr 80
slightly decreasing. The Japanese con-
sist of merchants, experts hshern1sn
and coolies, with some adventurers nm
! Chinese are mostly farmers
After a lapse OF a little time yvben
the arrangement Of Affairs Is c0mplefe5