New-York tribune., 1908-10-10
SHONTS ATTACKS ?. S. G.
Traction PROGRESS DEAD
Government Oscnership. Preferable
-Watcr7cays Meet Closes

C-As.--o oc+ e1Theodore p. Shonts' pIesiuei'
of the New York Irrerboroug n -Aleli I,,, d
- f-oronsnv speaking on The Future nan ~
~. -r-a,znorfation in the United states d.
st. o,osinr session OF the deep waterways 80 -
1,entiop here to-day, said that Ns =. q
6evelonrnent in New York is not paraiS Eeu ,,.,
dead Until legitimate reguia'ioh - a+,,o-5zed
for the physical operation which Is now -
,bere can be no railroad progress in New olh u
o. otbar state which has analogous laws
Mr. Shcnts continued:
r7s,ha- than see this analogous condition oecoliS iS
49, and permanent ], railroad man: We wouo ~
E.ser sn1-ernnentai ownership and operation .ta a
the railroads. dallserols as bat,se @ operation with
t '1,TeeTs1i1 not only destroys the talauXe pH
.scaTs and dries W the fountains OF money sup up
7olv which are necessary 10 keep lile Is 20 I1,,+
t Ds-op,e bs7,ea % the fact that the commissions
which operate the railroads nave NO ne for re
ii,I+l Tberefore extravaganza and graft ana rul m
I must eF ~ sroa5s and paid them it would
of necessity he responsible 10 lne Pop9 ~ ~ whole
ret,rn on the investment ana unless Uu, s,,,a ~
fbea-- ~ government should prove lalItae' ~, ~
would have 10 hire trained men men 70 ee:nonsibiIity
properties and place on these men a It;efv the
Tor their management sncn as 43entiy %T and eco
people that the properties We're elliNi'-' ~
monica Ily administered
NJ Sbonts in discussing the idea of physical
operation Of railroads by commission said;
Therein lies the greatest danger which oalr coun-
IVY faces to-day The danger Is not IN the Cplni i
;fseif in the fear on the part OF the investors in
railroad securities that the t9 4a9 hands
properties viii bs taken out OF the lItiIra Ira oS
which now direct them and placed IN cnarsei csti %
men who know nothing about railroad opera epeIa n
en5 have no financial responsibility and are ac-
oountahe to one but the man VINO ,jI alPoI,o ne
them Or 20 the political organization Which pro-
cures their appointment
Mr shonts declared that because of hostile legls-
iation and fear Of owners of railroad securi'eS
that they will not be allowed to manage their own
r-orerties the railroad development OF the couh-
nv js at a complete standsti and he further SAID
.hat there can he no return of prosperity that viii
stav with Us until the railroads are fairly treated
Mr Shonts then spoke of the pohtcai operatloh
Of the transportation lines by commission IN New
York State and told Of the broad powers that II
has State regulation under such statute he
said is in effect state prohibition Of new enter
prises and state operation Of existing railroads
AFTER his remarks on New York and government
ownership, Mr.. Shonts concluded:
no not misunderstood me I believe in super
vision regulation by comHiSslon IT uninF F he
welfare Of the country ana the WeIaLe SssaE ~ M
o15 +bat rhev be clothed with powers sufficiently
broad 10 enable them 10 efectuaily protec' 'ie
The solution Of the problem of continuing rail
ties which should now under active construc-
ton. therefore rests in giving me al
rate Determinations. but full. complete authority
10 fix their rates. subject TO reyleW ana uiio s
obraiu under normal conditions a fair return or
the investment It also means the right. under
proper regulation 70 operate their own proper
Ther = all that is needed, hut that is absolutely
essential
The old officers Of the Waterways Association
were reelected to-day with the exception OF D. X
Forgsn Of Chicago. a member of the board OF
governors who retired IN favor of E s. Conway,
of Chicago New Orleans had no opposition for the
next convention.
The resolutions ad ted assert that when busi-
ness conditions are normal the transportation facil-
flies afforded by the railways are utterly made
olate' and declare that the duty devolves on the
general government TO give the country adequate
Transportation facilities by developing the naVl-
gable waterways" After saying that this duty
should be recognized by Congress at once the reso-
lutions specifically ask for the opening Of deep
channelway connecting the Great Lakes with the
c,,lf of Mexico. 10 be Immediately begun
and completed as speedily as possible
The resolutions conclude as follows:
We do hereby demand that definite and Wig
orous policy of waterway improvement, beSlnrlLlS
with the lakes the gulf deep waterway, De
promptly adopted by the general government
To the enforcement Of this demand we pledge
our individual effort and our united support ana
we pledge our personal honor, each for himself
and TO each other. support no candidate for pub
lie office who viii not unqualihedly indorse and
maintain thai policy.
After the adoption of several resolutions or
thanks the convention adjourned.