Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-05-01
The Railroads
Are Arraigned
FOR TANNING THE COUNTRY
BACK TO THE PACE or
THE OK TEAM.


goods. Investigation has disclosed
that the average mileage made by
freight cars in the United States is
% miles a day That is less than A
milo an hour. An OK team can
make mile in less time. Therefore
the American people are confronted
by che fact that after all their rail-
road building and all the amazing
Inventions which have been annihili-
atng distance. the freight cars which
carry their merchandise over the
country are moving at about the
same pace as the OK teams which
brought the pioneers and their
prairie schoonersr to the West or
took the "Forty-niners" across the
Rocky mountains to the gold fields
OF California.
This is a very absurd condition
OF affairs for the smartest people
and most progressive nation under
the sur and would not be at all
belieyable If II were not for the in
vestigations, reports and admissions
which are back or the statement. The
explanations cover the whole range
OF congested trafic, car shortage.
side tracking, failure to return cars
etc. But these explanations them
selves require explanation. They
are evidence that there is something
seriously wrong I'm railroad manage
mont. In Mississippi = negro field
hand can be seen at almost any sta
ton I'm charge OF yoke OF oxen and
n wagonload OF cotton. He is canal
to the undertaking. It does not
oFerwhelm his mental powers or
produce congestion OF brain or con-
gestion OF traffic. But in the United
states there are said to be 1.7S9.49O
freight cars, not including the large
number OF private cars owned by
commercial corporations. These
cars are sent every which WAY over a
system OF trunk lines. cross lines and
branch lines, aggregating 21S,OOs
miles, and extending from the At
hntic TO the Pacific. To keep them
moving, going out on time and re-
turning on time. requires brainy
management and thorough system. IF
this be wanting, and the business
falls into confusion the probabilities
arc mat the cotton bales will move
faster while IN the OK wagon than
after they reach the railroad station.
And If the brains In the railroad bus
mess is given first OF all to the
manipulation OF the great properties
IN Wall street; the handling OF the
business OF actual transportation.
Tor which railroads are supposed to
be built, is likely to suffer.
ana CHS seems TO be the case. The
men who arc ia the public eye as the
great railroad magnatea OF the coun-
Try are manipuiators of railroad fl
nahcos. TO move railroad stocks
iai1er than freight seems the ruling
motive So great is the success in
this direction that the public fire.
q"ehtly stands amazed. And natural
ly the failure I'm the other line is 60
great as also to amaze the public
fiainiy the present system OF run
hihg The railroads Tor purposes OF
stock manipulation, and promoting
hnancial schemes. is queerina the
business Of transportation.
Moreover the combinations which
nave been advocated or defended an
The ground that they are needed for
q more thorough systematizing Of
tne business arc working Just the
other way. There is vastly more
complaint from shippers now than
the'o was when the lines we're more
independent. This is due to the fact
mat the real purpose, not the osten-
side purpose, of any movement f.
what prevails. And the real pur-
pose OF combinations IFS not 70 I'm
crease efficiency, bur so 10 increase
coStroI that patronage VIII not de-
pehc ON efficiency but on helpless
ness When a great combination OF
corporations gets complete control OF
transportation 70 IS not necessary to
improve either the speed or the
quality OF tho service The public
mint take It, os 80 is and pay the
price demanded An Illustration Of
tlis is seen in the suuoucemet that
the price Of coal VIII boz advanced.
ba"t 'ss OF shortage Of cars. That
IL The rs'boad furnish fewer cars
'han arc needed for tho transporta-
lion of ono ~ the most necessary OF
aIl articles OF commerce and then
make the public pay p higher price
~ thoir failure Before Che combi-
nations Of che railroads and be-
tween the railroad companies ana
The coal componios This would not
have occurred.
J1e net result Of 81 am IS that
'ne'. d Of omoUng progress. tho
big .ombin ions which are now get
ting possession OF business are TAX