The sun., 1908-05-12
COMMITTEE SAYS IT'S SATISFIED
That President COntemplates No Further
Descent Oh the Railroads,

Descent Oh the hallrOaus.
The committee Of the National Prosperity
Association Of st. Louis got here last night
from Washington and is at the Waldorf
Astoria Chairman r.. &. Simmons, who
succeeded Joseph Pulitzer as Police Cop-
missioner oi st. Louis some years ago, said
for himself and his associates that they
had been immensely pleased with their
reception by the President. Mr.. Simmons
said that In the informal talk which the
committee had with the President after
the formal exchange Of speeches the COM
mitteemen had received the impression
quite distinctly that nothing dreadful was
to happen to the railroads Of the country
through any further industry Of the Presi-
dent This was exactly in line with what
the National Prosperity Association hoped
for and was working for, for the association
believedt hat the prosperity Of the country
and that Of the railroads were bound up
together he wished that the newspapers
might impress the people Of the country
who howl against the railroads with this
fact.
Mr. Simmons said that the association
was in some sense the on growth Of Ill
effort which his firm had ma de to spread
sunshine through that part Of the business
world with which 1t had relations by series
Of sunshine letters which the concern had
sent ont because Of the belief that the coun-
try was in every way ready for resumption
Of prosperity il only confidence could be
restored This belief in It's turn was based
upon the fact that those branches Of his
business. which were in closest touch with
the agricultural interests Of the country
had had the best January. February March
and April business in their history.
Another thing which fixed him and his
associates in this belief was that merchants
who had been giving twice the length Of
time in credits to their customers which
they got from the manufacturers mad come
TO the point where they ceased to do this
and at the same time ceased to lay In stocks
for SIX months ahead but instead bought
for i'm mediate requirements with promises
that they would buy more from month TO
month as business developed. This he
regarded as sounder business than the
method Of overlooking and oyereXtensiOn
OF credits, and il was this which led the
association TO regard the recent panic as a
blessing, Notwithstanding its hardships.
The association was especially glad that
President Roosevelt agreed with them that
95 per cent. Of the business men Of the Coun-
Try were not only honest but Golden Rule
| men through and through.
Speaking particularly Of the aims Of the
association Mr. Simmons said that it in
dulged the hope and was laying all its
energy TO its accomplishment that the
merchants. the manufacturers and the
| railroads Of the country might agree to
restore on a certain day In the near future,
80 far as in them lay, the conditions which
! prevailed before the panic so FAR as labor
was concerned by putting TO work all the
men they possibly could employ Then,
he said. the year 1863 would prove to be the
| greatest and most prosperous in the
| countrv's history
Mr.. Simmons said that the aim Of the
| association was to keep the dinner pail full,
| the pay day car going, the factory busy,
| workmen employed and the present wages
up The association hoped TO induce the
| railroads to refrain from putting up rates
| lust now. no matter what the roads said OF
present conditions and necessities, as he
| believed that the present was not an OppOr-
| tune time. He also said that the association
| desired TO he regarded as distinct from the
| Manufacturers Association in every way
| The Prosperity Association was In no way
| TO involve politics in its work, he said. "
! had a platform with but two planks A
| square deal and a square meal for every
man