The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-05-30

prlSes. but also to prevent any effort
tor the betterment of transportation
Iacliltles. 1t then becomes out of the
question to secure the necessary in
vestment of capital in order to bring
ABOUT an improved service. Rates
should not be unduly high; there
should be a thorough safeguarding
against accidents, there should be NO
improper Sinking of taxes: the ship
pers OF the country must be supplied
generously with cars and all other
equipments necessary to properly care
Tor our commerce, and all this means
tnat the national government must be
given full and effective power of ST.
pervision and control. But the inter-
ests OF those who build, who manage
and who invest in the railroads must
De no less scrupulOusly guarded than
the interests of the public. 1t is ur-
gently necessary at the present time,
In order to relieve the existing con-
gestlon of business and to do away
with the paralysis which threatens our
expanding industries. because Of I'm
iteo and inefficient means of distri-
outlon. that our railway facilities
should be so increased as to meet
the imperative demands of our inter-
nal commerce. The want can be me,
only by private capital, and the vast
expenditure necessary for such pur-
pose Will not be incurred unless pri-
Vate capital is afforded reasonable in
CentlVe and protection. 1t is there
1ore prime necessity to allow fnvesu.
ments In railway properties to earn a
hoeral return, return sufficiently lib
era1 to cover all risks. We can not
get an improved service unless the
carriers of the country can sell theft
securities; and therefore nothing should
De done unwarrantedly to impair their
credit nor to decrease the value of their
outstanding obligations
l emphatically believe that positive
restraint should be imposed upon rail-
way corporations. and that they should
De required to meet positive obliga-
tons in the interest of the general
public l no less emphatically believe
that in thus regulating and controll-
ing the affairs of the railways it is
necessary to recognize the need of an
immense outlay of money from private
will not be met without the assur-
ance of sufficient reward to induce
the necessary investment. 1t is plain
ly inadvisable for the government to
undertake to direct the physical oper-
alton of the railways, save in wholly
exceptionally cases: and the supervi-
sion should be both entirely adequa,e
to secure it's ends, and yet no more
harassing than is necessary to secure
these ends.
Responsibility Of Railroads.
1 believe that the railroad men OF
the United States are coming to a
more perfect sense Of the response
bility of the relation which they bear
to the public and of the dignity of
that relation. They are public SER
wants in the highest and fullest sense.
Indeed there is not brakeman nor a
switchman upon the most remote road
in the land who does not fill a public
function and render a service of large
public usefulness. We begrudge Meth
err honor nor reward to these men to
whom we entrust our lives and our
property. Behind these active work
ers in the railroad field are those wnu
have the determination of railroad pol
icieS. These men are entitled to great
rewards; and in return public Opin-
ion is right in holding them to rigid
accountability for the way they per-
form their public duties. For several
months past some, If not all, of ou1
roads have been in a condition of ex-
IRENE congestion. Doubtless this Is
mainly due to the fact that the coun-
try has OutgroWn it's railroads, that our
prosperity has increased at such rate
| that the most sanguine and optimistic
railroads have been unable to KEEP
pace with it's growth. But it is also
| true that ordinary methods of oper-
alton, which hold good in a placid time
of steady and regular movement
should at time of crisis yield to the
imperati necessities of public need
A Question Of Morals.
| Finally, friends, let us never forget
that this is not merely matter OF
business but also a matter of morals
The success of our whole system Of
government depends upon our discrim
mating between men, not with refer
ence to whether they are rich or poor
whether they follow one occupation OF
| another but with reference solely te
| whether they act as honest and up
| right citizens should act. Let the To-
cal attorneys of the big roads kee[
out of politics: and when they have
to appear before the national or any
state legislature let their names be put
| on a special register. and let their
business be above board and open
| There are blackmailers in public me-
| and the citizen who is honest will
war against the man who tries 10
| blackmail a railroad or a big corpora
ton with the same stern determine
ton to punish him as against the man
! who corruptly favors such corporation
but let the railroad man remember
that to purchase immunity in wrong
doing or to defeat blackmail by brio-
cry is the worst and most shortsignted
of policies Let the plain people insist