The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-17
View OF the Agitation by II Prominent
LnbOr Union Nun.

View OF the Agitation by Prominent
Labor Union Man.
Editor Of The Times Dispatch:
Sir,-I have been very much inter-
ested in your editorials In regard to
the trca tment which railroads should
receive at the hands OF law-making
powers and the obligations railroads
are under to the commercial and the
travelling public, and must say that
the position taken by Tho Times d Is
patch is the most reasonable which
has come to my notice. The tenor of
your articles has been to show the
people that there was a mutually be-
tween the railroads and the people,
and that both had rights which should
be respected, and 1t seems to me that
this is the only logical conclusion
which can be drawn
But 1t seems to me from the action
of State Legislatures, the clamor
among tho people, the agitation car
ried on in labor organizations (prompt-
ed mostly by the socialistic element
which opposes all vested rights in
property. that the whole country has
gone wild with the desire to impose
upon railroads conditions which would
virtually put them out Of business
There seems to be q general DISPOSE
ton TO ignore the fact that the rail-
roads have rights which arc just as
sacred to them as the rights of any
other enterprise in which capital Is
invested. The public seems to be
drilling up to the conclusion that rail-
roads should be run on q mutual ad-
miration plan-just to accommodate the
public-regnrdlcss of whether the opcr-
alton of the roads pays tho gentlemen
who have Invested large sums OF
money in their construction and equip
ment, dividend or not.
/ confess that I am at loss to
understand upon what hypothesis this
wild crusade against the roads can be
justified. Men do not invest their
money In the construction and equip
ment of railroads from disinterested
motives any moro than men do who
invest their capital In other enter
priscs. They invest their capital in
railroads for the purpose of making
money. This is perfectly Legitimate,
and they deserve to make money. And
they deserve to make money in pro-
portion to the great amount of CAPT
tnl they necessarily must invest. What
would this country he to-day but for
the fact that men of large means In
vested their money in railroads, through
the operation OF which the country has
DEVELOPER After having developed
the country through the investment Of
their capital. should they turn their
roads over to the public to be run
simply for the accommodation OF tho
public? DO men engaged In other
enterprises thus act?
| ! nm at n loss to SEQ where gov.
crnmental interference in charges for
| freight or passenger traffic can pos
sibly be justified. 1t seems to mo
that Il company Of gentlemen have
/ just as much right to build rail
road and make theirow tariff charges
and give the public the option Of us,
| ing their road or not as Il company
has to bald houses. fix tho rent charge
and give the public tho option OF rent
Ing the houses or not. Some one will
say that the railroads depend on the
public for support and ought to con-
ccde to the public the right of saying
what the tariff rates should be. is
4 their an enterprise In this country
which does not depend upon the pub,
lie for support! The government does
not attempt TO fix tie tariff ,of the
telegraph or telephone companies nol
docs y prescribe the price at whic
I, the STANDARD on Company shall sol
!. lits Oil yet all these. Enterprises nge