Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-15
RAILROADS
FEAR STATE
REGULATION
GOVERNMENT CONTROL WELL
ENOUGH, THEY SAY
RIPLEY SAYS AGITATION HAS
HURT BUSINESS
Presidents of Big Transportation sys-
TENS Indorse Robert Mathers At
titude Regarding Federal
Supervision
By Associated Press.

By Associated Press.
CHICAGO Oct 14.-That railroad ex-
ecutives generally approve of the plan
for the government control ana reguia-
tion of the transportation lines OF the
nation as advocated by Robert Mather,
president of the Rock Island company,
in his speech to the Chicago association
of commerce today, was strongly mdi-
Gated when various officials went on
record to that effect.
Mr. Mather's address was called ad-
mirable in every way and none OF the
officials interviewed disagreed with him
as to the desirability of centralized au-
thority in preference to what they called
the varied and inconsistent system OF
laws passed by state legislatures.
1t was granted, too, that Mr.. Mather
had done well to talk openly of rebating.
After complimenting Mr.. Mather on his
speech e. p. Ripley, president OF the
Santa Fe, said he thought the principal
points urged by the Rock Island official
well taken.
.'What the railroads are opposed to, :"
he said, ''is this varied assortment or
rules, regulations and laws under which,
at the present, they must operate
"For instance the Santa Fe runs
through fourteen states and territories,
and what Is legal in one state may be
unlawful in another and vice versa. In
ether words, we have too many masters.
Would it not be much better for us If
we had a single, central source of regu-
lation than so many? l believe that IS
the position taken by Mr.. Mather and
most railroad officials.
Have Damaged Roads
1The outcry against the railways has
done them much damage" continued
Mr.. Ripley. "This antagonism is by no
means thing of the past, as 1t exists
today and is deep seated. The censure
and attacks of the press and the unjust
structures from other sources have kept
il alive. The result is that the railroads
are nearly ruined. They are now worry
ing along as best they can. They can
not do anything but serve the public
even if the public is attacking them"
Mr.. Ripley denied that the roads would
back any program before the next con-
gress.
"A great address; a very sensible and
convincing speech" said ]. T. Harra-
han, president of the Illinois Central.
"Taken as a whole and not analyzing
each and every section, Mr.. Mather's S
statement in opinion pretty well ex-
presses the feeling of the railroad presi-
dents and the managers.
1.-The trouble is and has been that the
states have various laws which con-
f1ict with the interstate laws. This leads
1t is true that several states have stat
utes which do not agree. This leads to
trouble
H. c. McDoel, president of the Monon,
approved of Mr.. Mather's sentiments.
S. M. FELTON,, president of the Alton
railroad, said Mr.. Mathers presentation
of the case was admirable.
do you think that nearly all railroad
executives agree with Mr.. Mather that
federal control is desirable?"
''I feel that they do" he replied.
.I believe that Mr.. Mathers opinions
are very largely shared"
Twill the railroads agree upon a con-
gressional program"
IT have not heard that any such move
ment is contemplated and I would hazard
the statement that the roads will do
nothing of the Sort but will merely
continue to try to do business as best
they can."