The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-06
THE METALS.
A QUESTION OF FAIR PLAY.

a QUESTION OF FAIR PLAY.
In the agitation over railroad freight
rates following the organization of a
traffic bureau by the business men of
the city, The Herald has purposely re-
Trained from editorial discussion Of the
subject for what seemed to it good AMI
sufficient reason.
In the first place. this newspaper he
longs TO Senator w. A. Clark. president
Of the San Pedro railroad. and what
ever 1t might have TO say would be
taken as an official expression which it
has no authority to offer. Further, it
would be regarded as a biased opinion,
Influenced by its railroad connections,
no matter how fair it's intentions cr
exact its statement of fact
In the second place. most Of the men
who have complained of the rates gwen
Utah shippers seemed to assume that
the railroad interests are bent on ex-
tortion regardless Of justice, AMI they
offer as evidence of their charge Isolated
rate tariffs which none but railroad
gently. either pro or con. The railroad
position has been defended by Mr..
Reeves. general freight agent of the
Short Line, and the reply of the ship
pers has been made by men designated
for that purpose. so the public may
judge for itself. without editorial eluci-
dation. the merits of the case as stated
by both sides
There is one phase of the question
however. which has not been discussed
and which deserves consideration, and
that is the position of the. San Pedro
railroad in this field Unlike any of the
other transportation lines, it is new
road running through territory in the
primary stage of development. 1t has
no thickly settled regions to furnish
local traffic. nor has it the. established
revenue which comes naturally to the
older transcontinental lines 1t is
unique in the history of American rail-
road construction in that II was built
and equipped and paid for without ask
ing the public to assist in its financing
II has no water in its securities on
which the public is expected TO pay
dividends: il has not placed a dollar Of
market
In this venture. Senator Clark has in
vested many millions. depending upon
future developments to justify his faith
in the country and give him returns
for his confidence. Re built the road as
other men build monuments and, in all
justice, he is entitled to fair return
on his outlay. 1t is not fair or just to
expect the San Pedro to make such
rates as can be made DrofitabIy by
older roads. or those which run through
rich territory with thickly settled pop
ulation, nor is it fair to expect that the
traffic Of the road shall be carried at a
loss.
Some of the critics of the railroads
?-,i ~" TIN. The rates on thc san Pedro
are extOrtionate. but if they were asked
to accept In their own business the
same percentage of profit earned by the
San Pedro. they would decline hurriedlv
and without thanks. They are quite
willing that the builders of the road
should spend their millions IN opening
new empire to trade. develop mines
that heretofore We're inaccessible ar any
cost. shorten the time between Salt
Lake and southern California by twelve
hours, and otherwise add immensely to
-the commercial and financial possibiH-
ties Of Salt Lake; but they are not VIII
ing that the road should charge rates on
traffic which viii enable it to meet its
fixed charges or show even a smau
profit on the money invested.
Considering ell the conditions, isn't il
fair TO expect that the San Pedro should
be supported in a spirit Of fairness and
good will?