Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-31
ROOSEVELT ASKS
HONESTY OF ALL
RAILROAD MEN
Advises Them to Shun
Politics
Chief Executive Unveils Lawton Mon-
ument and Improves Opportunity
to Discuss curbing of COM
mon Carriers
RoosEvELTys RAILROAD HINTS,

l ROOSEvELTeS RAILROAD HINTS;
Let the local attorneys of big rail-
road companies keep out of politics and
let their business be open and above
hoard.
Big railroad men should refrain from
any attempt to influence politics or gov
Sernment aside from the duty that every
citizen owes. What we have to de-
imand in our public servants is honesty.
Railroad legislation, such as L have
asked, is not merely In the interest of
1.-THE public but of every honest railroad
manager.
BY Associated Press.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, May S0.-
President Roosevelt and party, accom-
panied by Vice President Fairbanks.
today attended the ceremonies incident
to the unveiling of a monument TO
Maj. Gen. Henry w. Lawton, at which
President Roosevelt had consented to
make the principal address.
The president and vice president were
met at the depot by large reception
committee in carriages, at the head of
which were Senators Beveridge and
Hemenway and Representatives Over
street. They were at once driven to
the Fairbanks home in North Meridian
street, where luncheon was served.
Seated with the president and vice
president at luncheon were forty
guests, including Gov. Hanley, Senators
Beveridge and Hemenway Representa-
tive Overstreet, members of the prest-
dents party, Mayor Bookwalter Chair
man New of the Republican national
oOY,1T1oiftna cha irr1ln fTa CQart of the
Democratic national committee, James
Whitcomb Riley, Meredith Nichols and
other officers of the G. A. r. and other
organizations.
Following the luncheon began the
formation of the march to the court
house grounds for the unveiling cere-
monies. The parade was south on
Meridian street, through Monument
place to Washington, and east to the
court house square at Alabama street,
two miles in length and through solid
banks of people, who gave the president
an. enthusiastic greeting.
The program of exercises included
an invocation by Rev. DR.. Lucas, an
address by Governor j. Frank Hanley,
music by the Seventh Regiment band,
the reading of a poem dedicated to
Gen. Lawton by James Whitcomb
Riley, the introduction of the president
by Governor Hanley and President
Roosevelts address.
President Makes Speech
The president, after a few words on
Memorial day and it's significance, paid
a tribute to Gen. Lawton. Then reach
ing out to national topics he spoke at
length on the railroad situation in the
United States. saying in part:
To-day 1 wish to say word to you
about the first and most important
feature of this task, the control of the
common carriers doing an interstate
business; a control absolutely vested
in the nation, while in so far as the
common carriers also transport the
mails it is in my opinion probable that
whether their business is or is not in
terstate it is to the same extent sub
ject to federal control, under that
clause of the constitution granting to
the national government power to es-
tablish post roads and therefore by
necessary implication power to take all
action necessary in order to keep them
at the highest point of efficiency.
For Additional Legislation
''such additional legislation as that
for which I have asked in the past, and
especially that for which 1 asked in
my message at the opening of the last
session of congress, is not merely in
the interest OF the public, but most en-
phatically in the interest of every hon
est railway manager and of all in
vestors or would-be investors in rail-
way securities.
"There must be vested in the federal
government full power of supervision
and control over the railways doing in
terstate business; a power in many re-
Epects analogous to and as complete
as that the government exercises over
the national banks. 1t must possess
the power to exercise supervision over
the future issuance of stocks and bonds.
1.-The movement to regulate railways
by law has come to stay. The people
of this country have made up their
rninds-and wisely made up their
all kinds of public service corporations,
including railways. Every honestly
managed railway will gain and not lose
by the policy. The men more anxious
to manipulate stocks than to make the
management of their roads efficient
and honest are the only ones who have
cause to oppose it.
I'VE who believe in steady and
healthy progress stand unalterably for
the new era of widest publicity and OF
fair dealing on the part of railroads
Will obONhllOlhCAoj PSANoNAi5NAo tNAiA GA+Ah
pers.
Hints to Managers
1--WE favor the railway manager who
keeps in close touch with the people
along his line rather than in close
touch with the speculative market;
who operates his line with a view tC
the advantage he can legitimately get
out of his railway as a permanent in
vestmenl by giving a fair return to the
stockholders and to the public good
service with reasonable rates; who does
not operate his road with a view TO the
temporary speculative advantage which
will follow capitalizing an uncertain
future and unloading the securities or
the public.
1.-THE grave abuses in individual cases
of railroad management in the past
represent wrongs not merely to the
general public, but, above all, wrongs
to fair dealing and honest corporations
and men of wealth, because they ex.
cite a popular anger and distrust
which from the very nature of the
case, tends to include in the sweep ol
its resentment good and bad alike.
"Keep Out of Politics"
ssI,et the local attorneys of the bis
roads keep out of politics. and wher
"a