The Washington herald., 1907-05-17
AT THE HOTELS.

- - - - = - - A<A@A@s
I'm many parts Of Pennsylvania there
exists a feeling OF bitter opposition to
the enforcement Of the law that requires
compulsory vaccination Of school chill
dren,' said Judge Elkin, Of the Supreme
Court Of that State, at the New Willard
yesterday.
SO hostile is this sentiment that in
some Of the counties men have been
elected to the legislature on a platform
OF opposition 70 the law, and a State
anti-vaccination league has been formed
for the avowed purpose Of securing tho
repeal Of this obnoxious statute. The pres
ident Of one Of the greatest industrial
companies Of Pittsburg is at the head OF
the organization. This gentleman. who
has made an exhaustive investigation Of
vaccination both from a historical and
scientific standpoint, declares that it IS
not only Intellectual as a preventive OF
smallpox. but that IL is extremely apt 70
do the subject harm In England there is
a growing anti-yaccination sentiment. and
understand that 1S7 members OF tha
British Parliament are on record as op-
posed to the treatment.
When doctors disagree-and I under
stand that some Of the foremost medical
men Of the day denounce vaccinat ton
laymen, Of course, do not know which
side is right. 4 few DAYS ago I met a
friend who brought his son to Philadel-
phia for the purpose of having the lad
undergo an operation. He had some ear
trouble which his father was absolutely
certain had been brought on by vacCina-
ton In the beginning, he had fought
against having the youth yaccinated, and
only gave in when he found that it was
condition Of his being allowed admission
to the public schools This man assured
me that II was the last time De ever in
tended surrendering his convictions on
the subject. and that ne would resist 10
the last extremity any further vaccina-
tions In his family"
"The public should accept with many
grains Of salt the sensational statements
Of Messrs. Kellogg and Severance on the
so-cailed Alton deal and other trans
actions with which Mr. Harrimans name
has been connected" said Mr.. ". ".
Baldwin, one Of the leading citizens Of
Burlington. Iowa, at the Arlington.
These gentlemen are lawyers employed
to find something to justify the bringing
Of a suit in which they will be employed
as counsel This Alton reorganization
happened several years ago. II is an III
nois company All these transactions
were public and generally known. There
have been several governors and attor-
neys general Of Illinois since the occur
rences, who are good lawyers and good
men. II the reorganization of the Alton
road was Illegal especially II IL was sucn
monstr0us wrong as these attorneys
state il at this late date. why have not
the Illinois authorities found # out? I
have never had anything 10 do with the
Alton read, and do not know Mr. Har-
riman. but this statement that the re-
organization inflated the capitalization
from S339400 20 $lt10.601 IS a monstroUs
exaggeration.
The thing hinges upon a definition Of
capitalization. These gentlemen ignore
the fact that the nominal stock Of the
Alton road stood az 500 per share. and
they paid for il at this figure. But Messrs.
Kellogg and Severance. in making I'D
their statement for the public. treat the
old capital stock all the way through on
a basis Of 500 per share. Then the old
stock was paying 1o per cent dividends,
while the new common stock. think, has
never paid any dividends. and the prefer
red stock only per cent.
THE whole point then about the re-
capitalization of the Alton road is this:
We're the financial burdens upon the prop
erty increased; that is. were the require
ments for interest and dividends 70 be
paid out Of earnings actually increases? ?
No. they were not They were, IN fact,
decreased, ! am reliably told, taking into
account interest upon the new capital
used 20 rebuild the road
Another thing. We're the votes in
creased? Did the Hartman reorganiza-
tiou cost tie people Of Illinois one dollar
in that direction? Again. no. on the con-
trary, the rates 20 the public have been
largely decreased since that time The
road was rebuilt and put into magnificent
shape. Il was a dying railroad but
resurroCted and made into a splendid
property