The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-01-13
having had so much to keep it keyed
GIVE RAILWAYS A CHANCE.

1t has been we'll said that business
conditions of the country may be
Judged by the activity or the inac tivity
of the railways These lines of COM
munication and transportation depend
entirely upon the industrial and com
mercial interests for their employment
and profitable operation, and the cX
tent of these is an infallible measure of
the breadth and growth of the country
in industry and commerce,
Tie past and present ear shortage
among the railroads indicates the enor-
nous growth of business in this coun~
try; and while much inconvenience and
some distress have been occasioned
thereby, that condition is certainly
more desirable than would he one
wherein there would be insufficient in.
dustrial movement 10 keep the trans
portation companies in activity to tho
extent of their resources and equip
ment. 1t is also gratifying TO know
that in the midst of present wide
spread complaint at the Inconvenience
entailed. there is honest and strenuous
effort on the part of the railways to
remedy defects by the acquisition of
additional equipment as rapidly as it
can be obtained, If the railways could
have their desires fulfilled there would
ne no car shortage even now. They
have orders with the building com
panies for hundreds Of locomotives and
nd Df Al, al.
earliest possible moment; but the build
ers of motive power and rolling stock
are totally unable to meet the demands
OF the transportation companles-they
are working their plants to the utmost
limit, but these are inadequate to meet
the requirements due to the great in-
dustrial growth. That is n condition
which could scarcely have been foreseen
and forfended against, and for which
the railways are not altogether to blame
by any manner of means.
And this brings to mind the initiative
activity of certain cheap reformers who
imagine themselves TO be entirely ca.
pable Of taking the business of the
railway companies in hand and operat-
ing these great trade arteries with
the wisdom of perfection. The numer-
Gus and intricate problems of railroad
ing have been made special study for
years past by some of the greatest me-
chanieal and operative geniuses the
men who have absolutely no knowledge
of these affairs, which are being re.
duced to q science after years of pa
tient and expert application, to assume
that they have superior ability, is
rank absurdity in face Of the facts. No
individual would desire the amputation
of limb by one totally ignorant Of
surgery; and there can be no surprise
at the objection OF railway concerns to
attempted unschooled interference in
their affairs of operation and mainte~
nance.
But even If that situation did not
exist, it is still supererogative move
on the part of these wouldbe reform
ers, in this State for instance. who
would establish legislative railway
commission which would have large and
practical control of the transportation
companies.
1t is a fact that the Federal Govern.
ment and the railway companies them
selves are, under Federal enactment,
doing their utmost to adjust such errors
and abolish such abuses as exist in the
operation of these great industrial con>
Germs. Recently the Real Estate asso-
citation advised. as The Tribune has
done many times, that the matter be
left for the present to these remedial
agencies and efforts, in order that op-
portunity may be given TO test the
effectiveness of their plans for i'm.
provcment of the situation, Conserva.
tive thought on the matter indicates
the possible danger that State rail.
way commission would not ONLY prove
10 be an expensive harnacle on the tax
resources Of Utah, but might induce
conflict between this State commission
and the activities of the Federal com
mission and the railroads-confusing
If not sometimes completely nulifyinc.
the efforts and usefulness of both-iP
any effectiveness at all could be said TO
attach TO the proposed local meddling
Besides, as said before the institu-
tlon of mere ape-like and interfering
reform is an assumption Of virtue of
the cheapest sort