Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-05-16
JUDsoN HARMON SPEAKS FROM
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
ASKS SQUARE DEAL FOR ALL
Character Of the Railroad Makes Con-
troll OF II Public as Well as a
Private Trust-ahipper Does Wrong
When He Takes as Long as He
Pieases to Load Car.


ences CT q Lawyer in the Railroad
Business.
Mr. Harmon told how in 1905 he
found himself almost without notice,
in sole charge, under court-orders, of
1880 miles of railway running through
four states and the Province of On
tario. He told of the struggle to
meet the exegencies of the situation
and of his after experiences for a
year and half. 1t was at a time
when railroad legislation. was be
ginning to attract attention and the
enforcement of existing laws was a
subject of strenuous attention. Mr..
Harmon had maintained that rail
roads could be conducted without
breaking wholesome laws, so at the
character Of railroad makes the
control of it public as well as a
private trust in every hand that holds
Il, whether the hand be chosen by a
court or otherwise. This truth has
been too long neglected and storm
signals are flying. Let it be under
stood that there are no favors going,
open or secret, but that it Is fare and
fare alike all around And If the
property and business committed to
me by the courts shall suffer from this
cause, either at the hands of public
officials or those of rival lines, the
reason will be plain to wayfaring
man and the lesson will be worth to
the country all it COSTS
Mr.. Harmon said that the people did
not take him seriously at first but
that finally, when the people found
| was really in earnest and that all
We're treated fairly and alike they
Loyalty supported me. There are al
ways some human. porkers to whom
things taste better underground in
the dirt but there are not many of
them among our people. If special ia
vors are going they all want some, Of
course, but they are always content
with an even chance. If lost bust
ness by the course took, there was
no evidence of 1t. Then 1t was my
luck, perhaps | might claim a slight
share of credit for 1t, that the general
awakening shortly came to my aid
Il soon found more cars were need
ed and secured authority to get
them. | asked for bids from builders.
They said they had no space. Space
said, I have plenty OF space.
want cars to run through it. Then
the railroad tenderfoot found they
meant room on the list of orders. At
last | got four thousand new box
cars. could have loaded every one
right where they were built. But no,
sent them all empty to home sta
tons and divided them as fairly as
could among waiting shippers. In
two weeks they were scattered al.
over the Union and the cry was still
for more. coaxed and threatened
and did all could to get them back
but those that came were right OF
again as before. A region which
produces more shipped articles than
Ii consumes, of course. sends out
more loaded cars than it receives.
So cars tend to accumulate on trunk
lines and in the great commercial
centers. And when cars are scarce
the temptation is to load them. when
ever they are found, for no matter
where. instead of loading so as to
start them homeward."
Mr.. Harmon then spoke of the
Shs porx In fhr IscS -,cSSur
ter of car shortage. Although the
ownership and control of railroads
are private, their business so con-
Germs the public that 1t may be regu-
lated by law, with due regard to the
interest of the owners, and service on
fa'~ and equal terms is right COM
mon to all people,
Then are you not doing public
asked Mr., Harmon, "wnsr vo::..
take as long as sou please to load
and unload cars? You do not get the
right to use ears for storage by pay
ing demurrage charges. Both you
and the railroads would be guilty un-
der the law II you should make such
O. ReA sam Ah0St Aft iQt
rentals but merely penalties to make
you prompt They are not 1.-THE
Of what the cars would earn In
freight and still less part of the
loss you are inflicting on your neigh
oors by what is simply misuse OF
property devoted to public service
The speaker discussed the CUES
ton of reciprocal demurrage. The
shipper has a car" he said. Gin his
which he viii not load or
unload promptly so as to set Il free
for other service. A per diem
charge is made against him--a pen.
atty for not doing what he ought to
and can dc. So. they say. the rail-
road should be made to pay the like
amount when IL does not promptly
furnish car to the shipper when re-
luested."
IF the railroad had a car which II