The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-04-30

probably milder methods would n {
have accomplished what was neces-
sary for the healthy reform of some
of our business conditions. Under
this leadership and policy which was
inaugurated to correct rather than to
disturb business, the politicians of
different sections Of the country took
advantage of the situation, and aided
by disclosures of excuses In corEo-
rate management carried agitation %
Il point whre the American people
were arraycd against tho institutions
of the country, and which led to the
enactment of unnecessary and radical
laws. President Roosevelt Should
not he held responsible for these OBJ
jectionabie laws although they may
have partly resulted from his efforts
to correct abuses, and which have
been eliminated from our business
methods. On the contrary, he should
be given due credit for what he has
accomplished in the direction of the
regulation of railroads through the
enforcement of laws her etofore "a
lowed to go unenforced and the enact
ment of new laws. The Hepburn act
is not hurdensome; ond the contrary
the provision for Imprisonment FIR
granting or receiving rebates or dis
examinations in favor or one shipper
against another, has mel with the ar
proval of both the railroad managers
and the public; the requirement for
uniform accounting by the railroads is
in the right direction. and the policy
of publicity through reports to the
interstate commerce commission has
been prompt, comprehensive and Pre-
ductive of good results.
Fixed Policy Needed.
All this has been accomplished in !
comparatively short time. The |
country should now rest from further
regulative or restrictive laws until |
the railroads can adjust themselves |
to a compliane with those which |
have been enacted. This can be
done through cooperation OF the rail |
roads with the interstate commerce /
commission, and effectualIy establish
ing working arrangements with the |
government so as to give the laws a |
fair practical test In order to dem |
onstrate their efficiency. If they arc
found to be inadequate, 1t will b.
comparatively easy to chang orl
modify them to fit the emergency. |
with fairness both to the railroads /
aud the public, and thus the create { |
measure of good will be achi eyed.
What tho people aud the railroads /
now need is a definite and fixed gov
ernmental policy that can be relied
upon, which will facilitate the pro
curcment Of money by tho railroads !
with which they may reinstats their |
improvement work, as well as finish |
the new linesunder construction,
which have been temporarily aban,
doncd.
Railroad Mems Wages.
The wages of the railroad employees
have not been reduced from the
standard which was adopted one year
ago. hope they will not be, as good
wages with plenty of work make bet
ter times for all and a stronger feel
ing of cooperation between the rail
roads and their working partners.
This great army of over one and a
half million railroad employees should |
for their own mutual protection as
well as i'm Justice to the properties |
with which they are identified, mani .
fest intense interest in any action cal /
culated to call a halt upon further
onslaughts upon the cash receipts or
earning power of the railroads, AZ
cents out of every dollar of which
goes to the employees.
Earnings of Railrods.
do not intend to burden you with |
figures but this year the gross earn
ings of the railroads OF the country |
are showing approximately 10 per
cent decrease as compared with last |
year If this continues the balance |
of the year the decrease will be ap- |
proximately 400 million dollars |
Therefore, if the war is kept up on
the railroads at coming sessions of
our law makers, they may force re |
duction of wages and thereby further
cripple every business of the coun-
try.
OF the l5 per cent. decrease in earn. |
ings. | find that s per cent is due to |
legislative acts or orders of railroad |
commissions reducing freight and pas
senger and express rates. AS basis |
for this statement. ! am taking the ac-
tual experience in the states served |
by the lines with which ! am con
nected. If applied to all the railroads. !
i'm the country on the same basis tho |
loss in revenue from legislative acts |
alone would amount to 200 millions |
dollars for one year. This. taken in |
connection with the IS million dol |
lars advance in wages to employees |
last year. speaks for itself. To pre-
vent the inevitable there must not |
be further cnCroachments upon rail |
road revenues, but on the other hand !
an assurance should be given of an |
intention to discontinue the fight of
destruction. This would help more
than anything else to restore con |
fidence and increase the volume Of
business. both of which will warrant
the indefinite continuance of the pres