New-York tribune., 1908-02-16
YOAKUM ON RAILROADS.
Shoes Results of Restrictive Leg1s-
Lof;on IN Teras Speech.

.,-. worth Tex Feb 15-B. F. foakum' heao
of the Rock Island Railroad lines, aoui 'ne
state Association OF Commercial secretaries iieie
IY, s-eech discussed problems of develop
rn.nt which the country faces He declared theie
is but one position for which he "ouio eNe ap N
nresent work and that is TO be Governor oi
go that he could develop the sta'e. ne 'u ~
could bring FIVE million people 10 heA"' " ~
years il he were Governor or the sta'e'
Mr. Yoakum said in part:
II is for the people of Texas to consider whether
or is TO their interest TO ne s IN e eoI,itabe
railroads fairly. and fix laws on fair ana III
basis as will invite capital to make 1urtnsi -.
saeils in mis- connection further than TO illustrate
one point which should appeal 10 every 49, Ii1n ss
ea binSrance to further construction The rail all
roads Texas are capaiized al aooGt ;ss'on Of
Texas in its last annual report valued me pIopI1i
ties at sls.soo mile or one-na OF ne ane sssessed
the railroad properties the 100. tax rolls roas al AT
x-S,gvg cwsceither g that fixed by the Railroad Com
mission for rate making purposes or sos IND. a
sesseS bv the tax assessors for taxable purposes
ss Soneyer the tax assessors the same per-
cenfse. of true value OF property IN prepaIinS .hr
assessment roll for railroads as they 90 e er tbey
property-which is about 80 per centIthe4 ns r.Ts
have placed the true value OF the ralroau @ rs en-
than they are capitalized ana iie o"N'ii'
titled 10 consideration. -. as+-,ctixa
lerisafion has accomplished for the state Durs i.
tfe last sixteen years there have been only thirty!
,nTs Han oneihird OF this entire n ige has
been constructed in the last few years b nterest ,
Under NV influence. Texas needs and should have
as rapidly as money be found Tor suc9 S
The ten thousand miles cannot be hilancec anu
constructed rapidly than raliroa1 GpiIs' s -,
f,on has taken place in Texas during the last SIN
years. which has been on an atlelase -rnSp "
miles year. il will require forty years 10 @
The ten thousand new miles necessary for the best
interest Of or statennoG long lot 'ii0S'
f.et US see what new sister state okIahoIId'
has accomplished within the last slX1een He-ars' ,
where they have until recently had liberal laws
There have been constructed in oklhotnIa. ipb 1
four hundred miles OF rallr oao NItiIii e
same period-sixteen years-with only % per cent
Of the area of Texas To put II in another way,
within this period capital has come forward Tor
over four times as much railroad in Oklahoma.
considering the as in Texas IN Louisiana 70
-silroad mileage has Increased 80 per cent, and
II now has twice as many miles of railroad as that
Of Texas to the square mile Inc hoefal laws Vi
louisiana the fnGucenlenr-
Sc political theory that the public service cor
rcA tions and the public that they serve mus.
cooperation is a false and the great masses
thinking people beginning to realize it, ana
fair both. and public officers Will be men
who realize the importance OF closer corporation
with these institutions and the people and the
railroad managers VIII 90 all IN thelr power 70
hiring around that friendly feeling that should exist
rather than to pursue the course that great many
have pursued for the last few years. which to-day
IS costing the country and the public untold bene-
fits The pendulum that marks the centre OF fair,
ness has been gradually pulled To side until
II is at an angle OF about 45 degrees: but IL is 60
ing to gradually swing 10 fits proper position. de-
noting a fair and equitable deal TO all. not only IN
Texas but throughout the United STATES as me
merchant realizes that his business is slipping
eHav from him. the land owner appreciates the
fact that values being discredited as the wage
realizes that Tvliie the politicians are con-
demnins all instiTutiG4s OF the country ne and ms
family going without proper necessaries or lie
They are already beginning TO ask In what way
they being benefited by the unjust attacks be-
ing Industries