New-York tribune., 1906-11-12
Mr.. HILL ON RAILROAD AGITATION.

A man who has been a successful pioneer all
his life has trained eye TO the future. He does
everything on his faith or insight into to-mor
rows needs, and If the event justifies him his
ability TO look little further ahead than the
average man is demonstrated. It is this fact
which gives force and Importance to anything
which Mr.. James ]. Hill says about his own
subject, railroading Mr.. Hill has been a
pioneer and a brilliantly successful pioneer
railroad builder He has opened up paths for
advancing population. He has builded 10 carry
the freight of yet untitled fields. Therefore
when Mr.. Hill says. as he did in Chicago on
Saturday night, that the country is face to face
with a railroad question so important that
there is none "since the Civil War of half the
consequence Of this one" his assertion deserves
grave consideration.
Mr.. Hills railway problem is the reverse side
of the railway problem with which the public is
familiar. He is interested as a railway builder
in the attitude OF capital toward railway con-
struction. The problem as Mr. Hill presents it
is not how TO control the railways we have, but
how 10 get enough railways. What the coun-
try is suffering from IS lack of railways to do
its transportation business, and Mr.. Hill is i'm
patient that the work of railroad building
should be impeded by the discussion Of the pub
lie policy toward railways.
Shortage of cars and the congestion Of freight
traffic are familiar facts to every one. Mr.. Hill
puts II very strongly: "The traffic Of the coun-
TRY is congested beyond imagination. The COM
''merce of the country is paralyzed which, con-
''tinued. means slow death"
But Mr.. Hill says the real trouble is not
merely lack of cars, but lack of railroad mile
age. In ten years the business of the country
has grown 40 per cent. while the railroads have
expanded only 20 per cent. That is the great
reason for congestion 1t is estimated, accord
ing to Mr.. HILL that 115000 10 10000 miles
Of track must be built at once to take care of
the increased business. This will cost $4,000
100000 to S5O00O00000
Capital. according to Mr.. HILL is shy of enter
ing railroad building. He asks
Are going to invest their money in rail-
roads as long as railroads are considered out
laws? The fact is the railroad has not been
getting justice in this country. Why, in the re-
cent campaign we heheld the spectacle of two
great political parties preaching the doctrine OF
the operation of the railroads by the govern
ment.
Mr. Hill appears to have been speaking i'm
promptu and has been led by his impatience
into eXaggeration. We We're not aware that the
dominant party in this country is preaching
1.-The doctrine of the operation of railroads by
"the government" AS for the Democratic party,
there is always great uncertainty about its
future attitude on public questions. Its chief
puDIlclst recently preached the doctrine or gov
ernment operation, and his suggestion was
promptly and almost unanimously repudiated
by the press of his party.
Back of the whole discussion which Mr.. Hill
condemns, but which seems TO us inevitable is
a suspicious public sentiment for whose exist
ence the railroads themselves are largely re-
sponsible Until public opinion is conciliated
and public confidence in the honesty and fair
ness Of railroad managements is restored that
stability which viii commend new railroad
building TO capital cannot be regained. We are
prepared TO say that recent laws asserting the
nations ability to control and regulate the great
railroad corporations will do much to end the
deplored discussion. Blinking public sentiment
will not do it Neither will the assumption by
the railroads of the attitude that II is of
the governments business how they are run.
If the railroads do their part toward winning
a favorable public sentiment the talk Of public
ownership will die out. Reckless agitators for
government ownership should, however, heed
Mr.. Hills warning. The commerce of the coun-
try should not be paralyzed for the airing of
academic delusions