Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-01-03
GREAT Bend BOTS RISE
Edward 6. BuckIand Continues
TO Make Good.

CpTinXuoiu, MASS. hepuUHcdu
concerns Ed Buckland. a former
Great Bend boy. and speaks -vo,
tunes concerning the standing ht
enjoys with his people
Washington. D. c. Wednesday,
Dec. II.
The interesting sign has recent.
~ appeared upon the, door of q
suite in the newest and most patial
of Washintgon's. Office buildings.
Newly ork. New Haven and
Hartford Railroad Company EGG.
Buckland. Vice President"
Washington had long been familiar
with the general Offices Of the
Southern railway and with more
or less important Offices of other
roads entering the city. But that
railroad whose nearest lines are
sevearl hundred miles way should
open a permanent Office here and
install a vice president in charge
is a matter which naturally arouses
curiosity. as to the reasons back
of it. 1t is interesting to the Sec
tion served by the road on a ques-
ton. but is of wider Importance
as marking the beginning of a
new policy by, the railroads in
their relation both with the execu-
tive and legislative branches of
the government. The railroad
lobbyist has been a familiar figure
at Washington for more years
than the present generation can re-
call. Two years ago. when the
long fight was begun over the
rate bill the lobbyist were reinforc-
ed by the information of an elabo-
ratley organized press bureau. who
sent tainted news" all over the
country in the interest of the rail-
roads and in opposition to the rate
bill. This railroad press bureau
was chiefly due to the late Samuels
S. Spencer of the Southern rail
way. who was killed in a wreck
on bis own line a year ago last
Thanksgiving DAY, BIT while
Mr.. Spencers was RESPONSIBLE for
the organization of the bureau
some other roads not including
the New York, New Haven and
Hartford - shared with the South
ern in the expenses for maintain
ing it. Articles of various descrip-
ton we're spread over the country
being sent chiefly to smaller news
paper employing no regular Wash
intgon correspondent in the effort
to influence public opinion on the
direction in which the railroads
wished it influenced. The success
or failure of Mr.. Spencer's press
bureau which is known to have
cost the railroads many thousand
dollars is still a matter of debate.
Those actively engaged in the
work. who naturally wish to be
considered effective publicity
agents have maintained that they
scored a victory in that the
main thing for which they conten-
ed -aprovision for broad.
rather than narrow, court re,
veiw- was embodies in the final
law. On the other hand there are
many shrewed Judges including
some railroad officials, who think
that the organization of the press
bureau was a serious error and
that it did more harm than good.
They hold that the position then
taken by most of the railroads
was mitaken one from the very
outset of the struggle. They 90 so
far as to say that, if instead of
trying to 6gnt off government
regulation. and organization the
hostile press bureau. the leading
railroad men had seen from the
first hat.regulation was newt.
table and had endeavored to co.
operate in wisely forming it, the
final result would have been more
satisfactory and less harassing to
the railroads themselves than has