Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-06-26
THE PEOPLE, THE RAILROADS
AND THE GOVERNMENT
How B. F. Yoakum Views the Questions at
Issue Between the Three Great Factors
in the Transportation Problem.

A plan to turn the present current
Of railroad agitation from destructive
into constructive channels Is presented
by B.. f. Yoakum, chairman of the eX-
ecutive board of the Chicago. Rock
Island and Pacific railway, in an ar
ticle in the forthcoming issue of
Worlds Work. Mr.. Yoakum expresses
himself as in favor of direct federal
control of railroad capitalization, pub
LEFTY of railroad accounts and opera
lions and a complete and fair adjust
ment Of the interests of the public,
the railroads and the government. He
says:
| believe that the solution of the
railroad problem is to be found in
the cooperation of the people and
the railroads, through the government
of the United States. The time has
gone when the railroad could go ahead
and work out its plans, and carry on
its operations, without consulting the
interests of the people. The railroads
must fall in line with the democratic
institutions of this country.
That there have been mistakes by
the railroads, we admit, and hat some
of the troubles of today are the legiti-
mate and logical outgrowth of such
mistakes. The object Of the enlight-
ened railroad manager and of the en-
rs Aiitltu itSiSidlOl ihuSl nc 10 correct
as far as possible existing errors, to
make a repetition of them impossible,
and to establish a permanent basis
upon which the people and the rail-
road can transact their business in the
future without injustice either to one
or to the other.
The current created by the existing
agitation must be turned into a safer
channel. or great harm will be done,
10 fha asn i1rnnIr a nj ., Tho. 400
pie. This agitation has now reached
a point where it may be said to carry
a threat to the general welfare of the
country; because it threatens to affect
the industrial enterprises of the coun-
try. with the millions of men, ONE
and children directly dependent upon
these enterprises. l do not believe
that the people desire the destruction
Of the railroad properties. and | be-
that the people, the government,
and the railroads are united in the de-
sire to turn this current Of agitation
from destruction to construction.
The public demands hat the rail-
roads of the United States shall be so
regulated by law as to prevent future
Injustice in their management or dis
elimination in their conduct. The gov
eminent of the United States is shap-
ing its administrative policy to that
end. AS a railroad manager and al
an individual, ! heartily endorse this
policy, and shall do all | can to pro
mote such a course
We are not planning and legislating
for today alone. but for tomorrow,
when there will be more than 100, 000,-
600 people in the United States, pro-
1ucing and consuming. Therefore the
problem of a fair adjustment between
The railroads and the people through
tho rpxrapnrnpn fg npnhlnoa nf
responsibility than any
other problem of the generation.
must face ii with open minds,
aside all personal ambition and
our private prejudice to seek first the
good of all the people, which is also
the good of all the railroads.
/ should like to take up in sections
The several points that seek to form
basis, not only of the popular agi-
but also of most of the leg
wise and unWise, now pro-
posed by the lawmakers Of the United
ILLUMINATION of the Rebate.
The Hepburn act is effective, and is
both Just and wise. AS time goes on,
he machinery for the enforcement Of
he act will improve, n should inn
and the enlightened railroad
managers will cooperate with the
government n with the people to
the law. l believe in the prin-
,iple Of the act. which is hat there
shall be uniformity of charges without
Illegal discrimination or unlawful de-
ices to class Of shippers or com
munities as against another. | believe
hat the rebate is a thing of the past,
rs a principle, even though in the very
nature of things there will probably
never be absolute perfection i'm this
any more than there can be
perfection in the matter of mail deliv-
army administration or any other
organized administrative function in
such a large percentage Of our
population.
9.-The Valuation of Railroads.
Valuation for the purpose of estab-
ishing a basis for fixing t~ransporta-
ion charges would not be of any dis