The Washington times., 1907-07-28
RATE LEGISLATION
IN VARIOUS PHASES
VIEWED BY EXPERTS
One Authority Believes That Good Viii Result,
Other Finds Chance of Proving Com
bination Difficult Matter
By BLOCK SIGNAL.

w. r. Biddle. vice president of all
/ the Yoakum lines, remarks TO me in
an interview, as follows;
Referring to the agitation of rail-
way Affairs which has occupied so much
of the public's attention during the last
two years, l would say that 1 believe
that so far as national legislation is
concerned. that II is the natural result
OF the feeling on the part of the public
at large that the railroads were pursu-
ing and always had pursued. as a mat
ter of principle, the policy that was
credited with having been advocated a
good many years ago by an unfortunate
exponent OF independence.
II believe the railroads themselves are
largely responsible for this feeling be-
cause either through indifference or
press OF other business they have never
made any attempt TO take the public
into their confidence or to reply to at
tacks made upon them through the
press or other sources. and have never
attempted 10 explain their conditions
and difficulties so that the people gen.
orally might know their side OF the case.
Of Equal Advantage.
that has been enacted up to this time
is concerned. 1 believe that. strictly ad-
hered 10. II will be of equal advantage
10 the shipping public and the carriers
1 believe II affords protection 70 the
carriers to which they are entitled and
which they have never heretofore had.
Il also believe that 1t is u protection
to the business man who wants to
pursue honorable methods in the han
ding Of his business, and also affords
adequate means for redress in case he
feels that he is not receiving fair con-
slderation.
'"rhe legislation that has been en-
acted in the various States IS of an en-
tirely different character. and aside
from the effect on the revenue Of the
carriers, which no one is able TO measure
at this time, but which every one admits
to be serious. I fail TO see how the
railroads are going TO be able TO handle
their traffic affairs satisfactorily and in
telligently under the carrying conditions
that have been established in the diff
ferent States. believe that the adop-
tion Of the principles OF the Interstate
commerce act as amended by the vari-
Gus States would be far better for all
concerned than the conditions under
which we are now obliged to operate"
A Big Lemon" in Alton.
In connection with the Rock Island
system. ] must remark that the Alton
lemon" handed w. B. Leeds was
big one and a sour one. When NJ.
Strong brought the Santa Fe to Chi
cago and secured valuable terminals.
It looked like failure and probably
retired him, but today +. is all right
To take up the Alton tracks end nut
the line ont OF business would ruin
more people and destroy more COM
merce than to sustain the property at
its present valuation until the road
grows up TO IL
The Chicago and Alton IS a trunk
line 20 the Missouri river now and not
long aso II was more or less of a
local proposition. When the Moore
Brothers and Hartman joint control
is separated (as viii soon be the easel
the autonomy IN administration will
simply remain friendly with competl-
tors II can never cease to compete
and operate successfully.
Rock Island influence in It's affiliated
lines has not meant restraint to trade