Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-05-31

BISMARCK DAILY TRIsuHE III
nothing should be done unwarrant-
eddy TO impair their credit nor to des
crease the value: Of their outstand-
ing obligations. ss y;
s:aIf the demand for more taxes, 4:
I: for higher wages. for shorter
hours for employees, and for low y
er rates becomes SO excessive as =:
!: to prevent ample and sneedy y
B: transpo and to eat up the
I: legitimate profits If popular and 5:
legislative movements take s:
!: shape so ill.directed as not only ::
to threaten honest Investments ::
!: and honest enterprises, but also i
+: to prevent any effort for the bet ::
/: terment aofsa transp ortations facili-s !.
!: ties, it then becomes ont Of the =:
!: question to secure the necessary !:
!: investment Of capital in order to .
|: bring about an improved. service. :,
Emitted 10 Great Rewards.
/ believe that the railroad men OF
1.-THE United States are coming to a
more perfect sense Of the. RESPONSE
bility Of the relation which they.
bear to the public, and Of the dignity;
tof that relation. They are public
servants in the highest and fulless
sense. Indeed, there is not q brake
man nor switchman upon the most
remote. road in the land who does
not I'LL q public function and render
q service of large public usefulness
We begrudge neither honor nor re-:
ward to these men to whom we en-
trust our lives and our. property
Behind these active workers in the
| railroad field are thosewho have the
jdeterminatio of railroad policies.
These men are entitled to great RAJ
wards; and in return public opinion
/ is right in holding them to a rigid
accountability for the way, they per
form their public duties. IN.
II The experience OF the past winter
proves how great is. our dependence
on the railroads and how serious the
responsibility Of those who undertake
to care for the public in the matter Of
transportation. j believe that there
is Sufficient ingenuity and executive
genius in the operating officials Of
1.-THE roads greatly to dimish the
troubles complained Of. The most
ieffective way to lessen demands for
unreasonable Legislation Is for the
Railroads acting individually and col
lectively to remedy AS many al pos
lsible ofs the abuses and ortcomings
for which there really are remedies.
land for which remed dial laws ale de-
manded BY The ship ping public s..
Matter 81 Morals IS u eils Ass Business
Finally, friends, let us never s fb6rrget
that this is not merely a matter Of
business but also a matter OF morals.
The success OF orr whole system Of
government depends upon our dis
terminating between men, not with
reference to whether they are rich or
poor, whether they follow one toccu-
lpation or another, hut with referenc
solely to whether they act as honest
and upright citizens should act.
~ So. .s..,,.. .s.i.9.
Let the local attorneys of the !:
big roads keep out of politics !:
and when they have to appear be !:
fore the National or any State !
legislature let their names be put !
Ion special register, and let their !.
4: business be above-board and I:
open. There are blackmailers In !:
public life, and the citizen who is ].
honest will war against the man !
who tries to blackmail railroad ]:
or q big corporation with the J.
same stern determination to pun ].
ish him as against the man who i
corruptly faTors such corpora- 4.
ton. But let the railroad man !:
remember that to purchase inn !:
munity II wrongdoing pr to- de !
feat blackmail by bribery is the j:
worst and most shortsighted Of !:
policies. !:
Let the plain people insist on the
Fone hand on governing themselves
and ION the other hand on doing ex..
act justicesto the railways. Let the
big railroad man scrupulously refrain
from any effort TO influence notifies