The sun., 1908-05-12

portaton and who realized the conditions under
which the then congested state Of Tahhc had been
created and the cause thereof predicted that In
comparatively few months the transportation facili
ties would be- In excess Of the demands; that the
congestion Of which II Is stated the people Of the
Mississippi Valley complained would be relieved
Some time before the message OF February 70,
1905 was submitted. II was known Of all that the
transportation facilities we're largely In excess Of
the demand aud that therefore for Ihe time being
the alleged reason for the creation Of the Inland
waterways Commission. a., lack OF adequate
transportation facilities no longer existed"
Mr. SMITH shows furthermore that
the statement attributed by the Presi-
dent to representative railroad men,
that where business had doubled trans
portation facilities had increased only
one-eighth, or l?l! per cent, is ridicu-
lousy erroneous During the period
urged by Mr.. ROOSEVELT IA an illustra-
ton of the absolute need Of com
Elementary system Of transportation by
water" instead Of increasing but l?I
per cent, lie says, such facilities were
increased 40 that, with increased eff
cheney, the property moved in tons one
mile increased l4 per cent and pas
sengers moved one mile increased 1870
per cent, passengers and property trans
ported by electricity not included. But,
as Mr.. ROOSEVELT may with truth rejoin,
this is matter Of mere figures and
technicalities. With an equally impress
sive resort to generalities Mr., SMITH
goes on to say:
d" ~ the views Of those who desire to return to
the prosperous conditions that have existed for
several years past are to obtain and It be conceded
that such conditions were largely due to the enor
nous expenditures made In the creation of add
uonal transportation facilities, II Is necessary that
the citizens Of ths aud other countries having cap
ital TO invest be IN some way assured that invest
meuis In railway properties ere reasonably secure.
Under existing conditions THIS seems impossible
because the control Of the properties has In varI.
Gus ways been taken from the owners. Labor
unions. encouraged, promoted and protected by
the highest representatives, Of the Government
have assumed control Of the details Of the manage
ment In a way that very materially increases the
cost OF operation and reduces the effectiveness Of
The service rendered with no assumption Of respon
slblIty for the result THE United States Govern
ment. In addition w assuming authority to NJ the
remuneration ~ be received by the rs carriers
has adopted and Ia enforcing regulations that
greatly embsrrass the mansgemenH And the end
is not yet Since the nrst OF December, 1907, more
than 90 bills intended TO AFFECT and Increase the
regulation Of railways have been introduced and
are now pending In Congress. Tue various States
or many Of them, have enacted and are endeayor
Ing to enforce numerous laws even more drastic
than those of the United States aud onerous rsgu'
latous are enacted and enforced by municipalities
aud other subdivisions OF the Government, and
none Of them assumes any responsibility for the
financial result Dots It not follow that those hay.
ing capital to invest viii refrain from Investing Il
In property oycrwhich they their representatives
exercise practically no control or when such con %
troll as they may exert may al any time be taken
from them"
When Mr.. MILTON II, SMITHS ques-
tions are answered to the satisfaction Of
those business interests in the Mississippi
Valley and elsewhere whose modest but
heartfelt cry Of Let US alone" is heard
throughout the land, it will be time
enough for the Governors to begin to
consider Mr.. ROosRvELT's suggestions
for relieving congestion on the rail-
roads by the expenditure of several hun
dreds Of millions Of the peoples money
in the development Of "a complementary
system Of transportation by water