Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-05-25
RAILROAD VIEWS OF TWO CENT
FARES.

The General Counsel for the
Southern railroad gives expression
to some truths that, while they
are self-apparent, are not as gen.
orally recognized as they should
be by a large part of the public.
Unfortunately there has been
much tendency toward abuse,
yilIifcation and condemnation in
some newspapers wherever and
whenever a railroad or a railroad
official or manager is concerned,
that many readers have ceased to
take any calm, considerate view OF
the situation, but accept harangues
for gospel truth and invective for
facts.
Referring to the laws recently
enacted in some Southern states,
making a two cent passenger rate
obligatory on the railroads, the
General Counsel for the Southern
has this to say. It is worth read
ing and thinking about.
"Many people seem to haveI
grossly exaggerated idea Of the
earning capacity and of the resour-
ces of a railroad company. On the
other hand, the management OF
these properties knows the amount
of the earnings, the amount of the
expense, and the necessity for
improved service and increased
facilities. 1t not only has duties
to the owners of its securities to
see that they are reasonably safe,
and that their proper value is
reasonably maintained, but it has
also a duty to the prosperity and
well being Of the communities in
which the company operates.
cit is an questionable truth,
and truth which am glad to see
that the public is now gradually
beginning to realize, that the capa-
city of the transportation compa-
MES in a section measures the
productive capacity of the
people of that section. The
farmer cannot produce more
upon his farm, the manufacturer in
his factory, the miner from his
mines, or the lumberman from
the forests, than he can get carried
to market. To limit, therefore,
the capacity Of the transportation
companies is to limit the produc-
tive capacity of all the people, and
to cripple the capacity Of the
transportation company is to Grip
pie the productive capacity of all
the people. It is, therefore, to
the public interest that the trans
portation capacity OF these railroad
companies should not be crippled,
and it may be stated as universal
truth that no section can be per-
manently prosperous that is not
served by strong and prosperous
transportation companies capable
of growing with the growth of the
section, and of affordingin creased
facilities as the expanding energies
of the people may require.
"Realizing the truth of these
considerations, this Company, in
studying the effect of the efforts
made in various States to reduce
its rates, has come tor the conclu-
sion that the revenues that would
be left TO it under reduced rates
would not only impair the value of
its securities and the Just interest
of the owners of the property, but
would likewise seriously impair
IFS ability to serve the public and
to carry the commerce tributary
to its lines. We feel that we will
be performing an important service
to the public, as well as high duty
to the owners of the property, if
we can obtain from the courts
such a decision as will assure the
public ofsecurity in railroad in
vestments and thus establish the
credit necessary to provide and
maintain better transportation
facilities in the South"