The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-27
ERON OTHER PENS
PROBLEM OF THE RAILROADS.

Something is radically wrong in our
industrial and railroad system when.
in times of poor trae and money strin-
gency, freight rates and labor charges
must be increased. Ordinary economic
laws do not work that way, hence there
exists something very abnormal, if the
railroads are to be believed. The COM
panies are not to be implicitly believed,
however, as it Is a well known fact
that the railroads were the first to cut
down the number of their employees
and reduce expenses to meet the
panic. If they have found it difficult
to borrow money during the panic
period, and are still compelled to be
content with less than they would like,
their experience is not very different
from that Of most other people.
The main trouble with the railroads
has been that during the period Of
great business development and expan-
sion they stretched their credit to the
limit and incurred much new indebt-
edness for extensions that have not
paid as handsomely as was expected.
Being in many cases overcapitalized
they have suffered the inevitable con-
sequences of such conditions, and must
now retrench and cut their coat more in
keeping with their cloth. Instead of
increasing freight rates and imposing
additional burdens upon business which
should endeavor to increase their
traffic by improving their facilities and
giving shippers more consideration.
An increase in rates would be resented
In prosperous times, but at present,
with business but barely showing a re-
vival from the panic the proposed in
crease will be fought in every possible
way.
That the railroads have suffered not
little from ill-advised legislation is
probable enough. but now that there is
growing up a disposition to treat the
roads with greater fairness 1t would
be very bad policy to again incite re-
sentiment by imposing an additional
burden upon every business man in the
country and upon the masses who con-
sumo the goods transported, and thus
revive legislative hostility.-New Or
leans Picayune.
NEWSPAPERS AND LIBRARIES
Melvil Dewey, whose name is IA
nailiar to most librarians in connection
with his system Of cataloguing, has
been telling a ChautauQua audience
something about the new function of
the library.
tude in favor Of the daily newspaper,
however, which marks his difference
most clearly from the older ideas as to
the function of a library. The modern
daily newspaper, which is apparently
merely tolerated in some libraries and
almost wholly banished from others. is
looked upon by Mr.. Dewey as having
more influence than the modern uni
versity in the education Of mankind.
Such a dictum will be regarded by
some librarians as little short of revo-
lutionary In the Astor library, for in
stance, the only newspaper available
to the reader is the London Times, anu
1t is handed out only by request and
with evident reluctance. Investigators
have also discovered that the Aston
takes in" another London newspaper,
which. however it is ewes more diff
ficult to get a sight of than of the
Times There are bound volumes of
the city newspapers, but the readers Of
the daily press OF yesteryear as rule
are not numerous-New York World.