Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-06-27
THE RAILROADS;
The GOVERNMENT
CURRENT OF AGITATION MUST
TURN TO SAFE CHANNELS
FOR ABSOLUTE PUBLICITY
Federal Authority ShouIs Rule in In
terstate Transportation-Sco of
Railway Commission Should BE
sroad-New Cabinet Official Will
Be Required.

New York, June 26.-Jn the forth.
coming issue of Worlds WorL viii
appear an article on the people. the
railroads and the government bv r
T. Ioakum chairman of thre board
OIL directors of the Chicago. Rock
Island & Pacific railway. Mr.. YoalSpm
Is one of the leaders of the new
School of railroad officials Following
are excerpts from the article:
L believe that the solution of the
railroad problem is to be found in the
cooperation of the people and the
railroads., through the government oF
'Ae united States. The time has gone
by when the railroad could go ahean
and work out its plans, and carry on
It's operations, without consuTtipo
the interests of the people The rail.
roads must fall in line with the demo
cratic institutions of this country
mat there have been mistakes nv tha
railroads. we admit, and that some or
the troubles of today are the legiti.
mate and logical outgrowth of such
mistakes. The object of the on.
lghtened railroad manager and OF the
enlightened legislator must he n
correct as far as possible existing
errors to make repetition of them
Impossible and to establish a per
manent basis upon which the peopIe
and the railroad can transact their
business in the future without IN.
justice either to one or to the other
Inc current created by the existing
agitation must be turned into n safer
channel, or great harm will he done
| Doth TO the railroads and to the neo-
pie This agitation has now reached
a point where it may be said to carry
threat toythe general welfare Of the
country; because it threatens In
AFFECT the industrial enterprises OF
the country with the millions of men
women, and children directly de-
pendent upon these enterprises.
II believe that the Capitalization or
the railroads should be directly under
federal law, which would provide
federal authority to construct and
operate railroad, the purpose of
which is to engage Interstate
traffic either over its own rails or
through connecting lines Such legrs.
lation should be made with the fact
clearly in mind that in some sections
OF this country there are large areas
that need railroads, and that they
cannot get the railroads unless the
builders are allowed to make a profit
or to see the chance of profits. on the
building. The law should however
make it impossible to gain these pro-
fits more than once.
ut will in time become a necessity
that the proper fulfllment Of the
functions of the government, in deal
ing with this most important question
affecting, as it does, every indus.
try, man, woman and child in the land
Will require the creation of a new
cabinet officer whose department will
be charged with responsibility In
matters pertaining to railroads and
navigation; who through his position
in the cabinet will enable the cab
met members to keep in touch with
all matters involving the movement
of the commerce of the nation. both
domestic and foreign.
Il do not believe that railroads
should enter into politics, and look
confidently for the time when raft
roads will not be forced to go to a
state or federal capital to save them
selves from dangerous legislation.
That time will come when the people
and the railroads bring to the settle
ment of their differences the same
common sense that they bring to the
settlement Of their private disagree
ments.
1.-THE railroads should fix a reason
able time in which the freight is to be
delivered to the consignees. The
limit should be abundantly reason.
able, because the nature Of the
freight business over which the rail-
roads cannot always control, de-
mands great deal Of liberaiity in its
movement, but I believe some Of the
time now consumed in suc1 delivery
should be and could be saved. TO the
profit Of both the consigness and the
railroads. Such a regulation could
be worked out that would be of nut
ual interest to the railroads and the
shippers. Where the state regulation
of rates, or state legislation on other
railroad subjects directly affects in
terstate transportation the federal
authority should rule
Railroad managers will not stand
in the way of Just legislation merely
because such legislation might have
an adverse effect on railroad securf-
ties in the market We all recognize
that the true function of Wall street
is of supreme importance to every
section of the United States Without
its agency we can neither build ex-
tend. nor improve our great railroad
properties to anv large extent. The
leading financial interests in New
York and other money-centers, are
coming to realize that the only true
basis of public confidence in us and
our securities must he found in closer
and more cordial relationship be.
tween the people and the railroads
and that the strong arm of the gov
eminent is necessary to accomplish