The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-02-27
SAYS ROAD SINS
ARE PARTY ISSUES
PRESIDENT TRuEsDALE DE.
cLAREs COMMERCE ABUSED.
TALKS TO STOCKHOLDERS
Outlook for 1908, He Asserts, 10 Dis
couraeins-5oth Bodies Seeking
Presidency Are Then
Taken to Task.

ANCW IOAhS rCDs hC
ing cause Of all the general indis-
crimlnate abuses of the railways and
their management" and of the para
lytic stroke which they have suffered
was attributed by w. II. Truesdale,
president of the Delaware, Lackawan.
ma & Western railroad Tuesday to the
alleged plans of the great political
parties to make the sins of che rail.
road the leading political issue of the
coming campaign. .
This statement was made in Mr..
TruesdaIe's annual report to the
stockholders of the road. He began
by saying that the outlook for 1908
as respects railway earnings is any
thing but encouraging. Opinion as to
the causes of existing conditions diff
fered widely, he said, but there has
been engendered very deep and
widespread distrust of the manage
ment and financial standing and
soundness Of all the railways of the
country"
Sins Of Roads Are Issues.
Continuing. he said: The two great
political parties of the country in
planning their forthcoming presiden.
tial campaigns malae the sins of the
railroads and their management and
drastic correction of same their lead
ing issues and herein may be found
the real underlying cause of all the
general, indiscriminate abuse of the
railways and their management and
OF the paralytic stroke which they
and all interests connected with them
have suffered. With great foresight
and shrewdness those who have
planned and are responsible for this
political program have alienated from
the railways the chief political infiu.
ence that they might and should have
every reason to expect would use their
influence to protect them against a
campaign Of this kind, their own EN-.
ployes. This has been accomplished
by the passage of certain laws govern
ing the hours of service, wages, con-
ditions of employment generally and
others more far-reaching have been
promised and are now pending.
Says Authority Is Weak.
After declaring that the sweeping
denunciation of the managing author
tiles has weakened their authority
over their employees, Mr.. TruesdaIe
added: "The tendency. furthermore,
to place the control of the railways
and their operations, down to the min
utest detail in the hands of public
officers, boards or commissions all of
which are subject to political infiu-
ences to greater or less degree is by
no means hopeful on reassuring as re-
spects the future value or efficiency
Of the transportation facilities of the
country" A..
gTruesdaIe Reelected President.
Mr.. Truesdale was reelected presi.
dent of the company and William
Fahnestock was chosen a director to
succeed the late Samuel Sloan, The
report of the company for the year
ended December 81 shows gross
earnings of $37,264,473, an increase
over the previous year of $4,301 ,593;
operating expenses of $21 1889, ,739, an
increase of $2,64O,297, leaving net
earnings of $15,724,T34, an increase
of 1851, 296. The surplus for the
year after payment of interest, renew
ais, betterments and dividends
amounting to 20 per cent, was $4,.
s49,327, an increase of $4,262,255. :