The Washington times., 1907-03-02
Hartman Here; Says:
Always Pack Horse

refuse TO answer by advice Of COUNSEL
while he was talking 10 the newspaper
men
Federal Control Not Feasible.
What do you think OF the PROPOSE
ton to secure a Federal valuation OF
the railroads. ne was asked.
It is not feasible What valuation can
you put on the terminals Of the Penn
sylvania railroad at New York and
Philadelphia. for instance. Their value
Is the value OF the whole city OF New
York
rs not the value OF a railroad the
aggregate value Of its securiues?''
Yes. The value Of thing IS what
the people are willing to pay for It. It
varies with the conditions OF the COuu-
Try II may be worth a great deal
I today, and not so much or more next
year IN the estimate OF the people. But
. 50 long as we do not charge any more
. Tor the services rendered. as the Alton
statement shows, and perform better
services. the public is benefited. That
statement SHOWS that we gave two or
three times better facilities 1t does
not make any difference whether the
road was capitalized at $1,000 0O0. 600 so
long as the service 70 the public Is set
ter We not only claim this, but IL g
true"
Where He Differs From Hill.
wherein do your views on the future
development policy OF the railroads DIFF
fer from those Of Mr.. James J. HIP
THE difference IS as follows. Mr.. Hill
talks about the additional trackage need
eG( and I talk about additional terminal
facilities and improved methods Of using
terminals. The problem Of railroading
IS TO keep things moving Go 10 any
little town and find a freight car stand
ing on a side track for seven or eight
days while a One-korse wagon Is un-
loading stun from IT. and you know that
isn't keeping things moving Using a
freight car for a warehouse isn't the
most effective utilization Of that invest
ment- Every freight car costs about
$1,000. and or an average II moves ABOUT
twenty miles a day. As soon as one OF
these cars stands still we lose money
Mr.. Harrlman'S attention was called 70
a recent interview with Interstate Com
merce Commissioner Clements, In when
Mr.. Clements suggested that the solution
OF the freight congestion problem would
ultimately be found in such an adjust
ment OF rates and distribution Of factli-
ties rs would tend 10 build Up industries
in smaller centers instead OF cre=ding
IL into a few great Industrial centerS
like chicago and Pittsburg- Asked
whether he believed this suggestion con-
tanned possibilities Of a solution Of the
problem, Mr.. Hartman said:
4 dc not see how IL can be done.
You cannot create competition by law.
Ii has TO be by natural causes You
can't force business in unnatural chan
nels, but only where the people want
81"
Begun at Wrong End.
''Is the rate law working effectively
''The first action I know Of under the
rate law was the hearing in my own
/ case at New York The trouble is the
/ Interstate Commerce Commission began
at the wrong end. They began with a
move 10 create agitation for an increase
/ IN their powers. Just as they have al
ways done in the past II the commits
| sion had infOrced the law as II existed
( before the rate law was passed il would
have stopped rebates. because this last
I law did not touch the subject OF re-
/ bates. BY not Enforcing the law. and
/ claiming that tley were without power
| 70 inforce Il. tie commission encouraged
/ the railroads 10 continue the bad prac-
I tises OF rebating. All the efforts the
/ commission has made Of late 10 stop
{ rebating have been under the old law.
4 This is the law they said was Ineffective
and said they had no power 10 infOrce-
! II a body has the power 10 infOrCe &
law and does not exercise II. IL natu-
rally leads one 10 lose respect for that
/ body. doesn't it2''