The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-09
GOAL AND THE RAILROADS.

Daring The course Of an interview
with The Herald the other day. Gen.
eral Manager Ridgeway of the Rio
Grande system declared that to cut off
the railroads from the ownership of
coal mines would be disastrous in
Utah because it would produce a short
age in fuel that would be worse than
the coal famines from which the state
has already suffered.
A morning paper takes Mr. Ridge
ways friendly, conservative talk and
distorts it into threat, and says: ''If
his language means anything, it seems
that the state of Utah will suffer if it
does not grant the legislation demand
ed by the railroad companies"
An honest consideration of the whole
Interview would show that there was
no suggestion of a threat: on the con-
trary. Mr.. Ridgeway distinctly said
that his railroad was encouraging in
dependent operators and would afford
them every facility for shipping. What
he had to say about the danger of &.
worse coal shortage was a plain, truth
full statement of an obvious fact. To
prevent the ownership of coal mines
and their operation by railroads in this
state now is To invite a famine, and
every one conversant with the facts
knows it. With all the labor obtain
able and with the utmost exertion to
supply the demands of business. the
railroads and their allied coal compa-
MES have been unable to furnish the
fuel needed in the mildest of winters
Cut off that supply, and depend upon
independent companies alone, and Utah
viii have a much worse coal famine
than il has ever known. To state this
as fact is not a threat" and to ac-
euse- Mr.. RidSeway of threatening" d
state is to suppose he has lost his
senses, which no one suspects who
knows him
The coal question is an economic
problem as well as, unfortunately.
political issue. On its economic side il
amounts to this: the railroad eompa-
limit of their capacity with the labor
available; they cannot supply the de-
mand. To open and equip an independ-
ent coal mine in Utah requires an out
lay of from 100000 to $500, 600 and a
considerable length of time for devel-
opment before production can begin.
Some Independent companies are i'm
operation and others are beginning de-
veiopment, but if all of them were
working to full capacity they could
make noticeable impression on the
demands fer fuel. Now comes a pro-
posed to put the railroad mines out of
business or shut them down or do what
nobody can foresee, by refusing to per-
NIT railroads to own coal mines and
operate them. The economic result of
such a proposal carried out would
mean a still further shortage in fuel
supplies. and no blatherskfte construc-
ton can change that fact.
$50
50 long as independents can have fair
play from transportation companies.
get the same freight rates and faeili-
ties, and compete for business on even
terms, it seems suicidal to invite indus
trial depression by legislation against
the railroads merely because they are
railroads and regardless of the effect
on the state.
The newspaper comment on Mr..
interview seems to be
founded on the conception that a rail-
road is naturally an enemy of the state.
bent on destruction and confiscation
and piracy. Utah has had no such no.
ton. although some of its people have
sought to cultivate it. Certainly, when
Mr.. Jeffery and Mr. Gould were con-
sidering the construction of the West
ern Pacific from here to the Pacific
there was no objection; when Senator
Clark contemplated the expenditure of
millions to connect Salt Lake and Los
Angeles the people here expressed their
delight with the prospect. When the
Rio Grande and the Hartman lines
projected their great terminal improve
msnts and station buildings here the
tone Of the people was altogether cor
dial
No apology is to be offered for the
wrongs charged fairly TO the coal COM
panies or TO the transportation lines;
but when the balance is drawn between
benefits and injuries. the railroad COM
panies of the west have a large credit
account due them, and they ought to |
be entitled to just as fair treatment
as any factor in the growth and devel-
'pment of the state They have aban-
Toned their opposition to Independent |
,oal operations. they are spending mil
ions in and about Salt Lake; some of
heir investments may not yield re-
.urns for years, others may be profita-
DE. but taking their policies as whole
hey have done more for the upbuildingj
# Utah and. the territory contiguousl
o it than any other power or combina-
ion of powers; and they have a right
o expect fair. even considerable regard
or their rights.