New-York tribune., 1908-08-29
SHONTS GIVES VIEWS
Bitterly Arraigns Interference r'th
Railroad Management.

r,entreviIIe Iowa Aug 2-"we still have hope
that we are going TO be let alone and allowed 10
run our own business" declared Iheooore
Shonts president OF the Clover Leaf chicago q
Alton and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS companies
in an address Transportation at the nome
coming celebration here to-day Destroy 'ha.
hope and we will have in this country an era oi
misery that will send to eternal damnat'oh 'iioSe
who are responsible for it"
Continuing he called transportation the hano-
maiden of prosperity, and said 1t Is certainly
proper to see that her feet tread the right pain
but that the maiden should not be loaoeo WIN
fetters If she is to serve her mistress Will "
and
In sneakinp of the work of the railroads in max
ing the present commercial development OF the
nation possible, Mr.. Shonts divided the history VI.
American transportation into three perioos' fhs ..
was the period of pioneer construction. when roauS
were built in advance of demand to come Ia
the second period these conditions were reversed
by the rapid development of the country anu .i'
roads were compelled to incur great EXPENSE io'
improvements in the face Of ruinous compeu'ioh'
The third period is the period OF governments
control and interference" continued the speaker
III the LEGISLATURE of the country. after passiIs
laws to stamp out rebates and protect 'he pu
from fictitious issues of securities. and making '
affairs of every railroad public property 'i'ue
standar rdizing accounts had stopped there no eVi
would have been done; but the pendulum OF pup
lie opinion continued TO swing until many III Su-
vised and hurtful laws were passed IN various
parts of the country
Mr. Shonts continued:
The railroads are entitled to a fair price for what
they have TO sell. which is tansportatlon Iusl 81
any other corporation merchant IN the iaoo N "a
with widespread demands for extensions ana s og,
terments their rates have been Sraauaily ans sr,
down. In the last ten years the price Sa rina ra IA
products has increased 2b cent and the pr6e 16
of food has Increased nearly per ars re. than IS
average freight rate mas oecreaseu iho ~ -
The only answer to this problem is that the rail-
roads must get for what they have 10 SELL tie
same with any other business, unoer p. .ope pa
tic sin beeagse party has
is thought to have sinned. What we "alie h1 ~ ~
You frankly that there be no continued pros pros
perty any part of the country II the t,I
tation interests unfairly dealt WITH fohtIca.
pigmes when in power, can easily lesislate money
out corporations. but the political giants Oh al
lions In this period of business depression. the Tn
sffa aeT sEaiS be Bn not mile of
being laid nor is any equipment being purchased
needs of the roads improvements involving hun
dreds of millions have been abandoned because OF
the minds of men whose duty it Is TO careiuiiS
consider proposed legislation. ,,..,,o. -,
country's growth. and the influence that Is DO,
F of proepery is the fear on the part of people
who own the railroads that the operation OF tht h
trained men who are now directing them and
turned to boards or commissions whether ,I ma
authority. without the slightest financial respohsi
Honestly conceived laws compel a service that
will meet with the reasonable approval OF IN, ,,e
stock watering and stock jobbery. are right and
proper but TO go far beyond ina, and looks
TO the defeat OF the very purpose which II Is Sought
to attain
Among other speakers was @ j. Philips su-
perintendent of the Delaware 1lackawanna {"
Western Railroad at Buffalo Mrs. Mary Gibbs
Spooner. the theatrical manager of New YORK, Is
among the prominent guests.