The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-17
INGALLS, is HOME.
Head Of " Big Four" Railroad
Returns From Europe.
He Travelled 10000 Miles in
$50 Days.
s TUDIED ECONOMICS
With Committee of Fifteen From
Civic Federation.
Municipal Ownership Chief Fea-
ture of Investigation.
s TUDIED ECONOMICS

over IS, 600 miles in $50 days. visiting
the principal cities of Europe for the
purpose Of studying economic eondi-
tions, Mr.. NJ. E. ingalls,. chairman Of
the Big -Four board of direct ors. ana
president of the Merchants National
bank. returned home in fine health, ex-
cellent spirits and, If anything. iook-
ing younger than he did before he
went abroad
Mr.. ingalls, went to Europe a 3 chair
man OF the committee of fifteen sp-
pointed by the National Civic fedora
ton. While Mr.. ingalls, was a busy
man, ne talked freely concerning his
tour abroad and the present political
conditions in this country.
II desire to state at the outset" he
said, 'how sorry I was to learn IN Lon
don Of the death of Governor Patti
son. He was an excellent man. and mis-
death was a loss to the state.
after my tour OF Europe the most
welcome sight to me was the statue of
liberty in the harbor Of New York. It
made my blood course faster ana me
TO feel younger to see it, for I then
realized that I would soon be home,
which is the dearest and sweetest place
on earth.
The Civic Report.
II cannot tell you what the report
Of the Civic federation committee will
be. There will be meetings next
month. when a report will be formu
lated which will be ready some time
in October. The statements made that
either the committee or myself is op-
posed to municipal ownership of pub
lie utilities is not true We found
much abroad that was good in city
governments in Europe. Every city of
prominence on the continent was
visited. and the following places IN
Great Britain and Ireland Dublin,
Glasgow. Newcastle, Manchester, Liv-
erpool London, Leicester, Sheffield and
Norwich We talked in England with
experts who favored municipal own
ership and those opposed to the plan
In London we found pretty big hight
on over this question, the London
Times taking the stand against munich
pal ownership.
He was asked if he believed. under
our peculiar political situation. as
compared to Europe. that municipal
ownership would be a success here
THAT remains to be seen" he re-
piled What would suit New York
would not suit Cincinnati nor can the
people of Chicago tell what is best
for those Of Boston. II IS a qIest no 7
Of each city to consider separately and
there can be no general rule made
which viii be applicable to all
His Opinion of Bryan.
"I consider Bryan a most remark
able man. But many things can hap
pen in two years, as the pubic nina
at times is very changeable. 1t the
election was to take place this fall
Bryan would be elected by an over
whelming majority. exceeding in my
opinion. the majority of any elected
president. He stands today unparal-
leIed in the history of this country.
Here is man that was twice defeated
for the presidency, who now stands as
the foremost American. and one in
whom the great masses of the people
have absolute faith. I believe that
the great masses of the American peo-
pie love fair play The insurance ex-
poses showed plainly that Bryan was
DEBATED In 1896 and 1900 by the cor
r1pt use Of money. The people Will
Fieht this wrong. and. as I have stated.
did the election occur next November
Mr. Bryan would sweep the country.
There NAV be corruption here and
there In our land. but the hearts of the
American people are right, and once
YOU should show them a wrong has
been done they viii right it. It is this
Eteadfastness to principle that makes
the people turn now to Bryan. But.
as have said many things can hap
pen in two wears. though ] believe the
Democrats viii be victorious. Those
representing the party in congress did
we'll. while the Republicans on the
other hand are alta loggerheads.
The Meat Scandal.
What do you think of the meat scan
dal?"
II want to say this about the meat
packers. For 20 years. and know it,
ffey have browbeat the railroads. die
fated terms, demanded exorbitant con
tracts from the roads for the handling
of their cars and treated like dogs rail-
road managers who would not do their
bidding. But I believe a great wrong
has been done the meat industry Of the
country by the message sent to con-
zress by the president. 1t should have
been remedied in some other way, and
not by such a startling message. It
will take fully 10 years for the American
meat industry to recover its lost ground
iu England. The people at home cannot
imagine the harm that has been done
the American meat export trade. 9th
ars VIII profit at our expense. II all was
true published in that book. The Jungle
the people responsible for It ought to be
drawn and CHARTERED but It appears
that the experts sent there by the gov
ernment found TO such condition as des-
crlbed ia that book. I cannot too en-
phatically state how regrettable It is
that such an injury has been done our
meat trade abroad. There could have
been some other way found to change
conditions other than the one adopted
BY President Roosevelt
New Rate Bill.
Have you anything to say. Mr.. In
gals. about the new rate bil12'
s'I believe congress should have made
the Sherman antitrust law so as not
10 AFFECT railroads. In 1896 when the
Sherman antitrust bill was up, I went
TO Washington. but was informed that
the Jaw would not affect railroads. That
wear drew up the association agree
rnent between the railroads. The next
year case was brought against a rail-
road in Missouri under the Sherman
anti trust law The courts held that
the law affected the railroads. The as
ISOLATION had to be disbanded and the
so-called gentlemen's agreements en-
Tered into. The railroads of this coun-
iry are great and complicated proper
hes They have been in the past and
IRE now being well managed. It is true