The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-03-25
THE RAILROADS HESITATE.

town people will have their eye on
a railroad at some remote distance |
which has an air line from that point
to the favored community and they
will wonder why that road cannot
be induced to extend to the objective
ascertain. In the past few years
state legislatures in the northwest
seem to have become imbued with
the idea that they are making a pop
ular strike with their constituents
when they take to railroad legisla-
ton and make it very drastic in
character. The legislators feel they
nave done their duty when they ac-
complish in passing a piece of rail-
road legislation and will have a ten
dency to curb the railroad either in
passenger or freight rates, or add
some new idea on conducting the
railroads business. The legislatures
do all these things and then the peo-
pie commence to encourage the rail-
roads to build extensions, and Won
der why on earth their officers can
not see the great inducements that
are offered when they are SO appar-
ent to the individual. The railroads
are very much like the individual
business man. He might have some
idea of engaging in a business in a
community where the laws We're ia
yorable for him carrying 1T on with
out too much restriction, but on en-
PERTAINING an idea of entering a com
munity and then nave that
ity pass laws that would be who'll
ly detrimental to his business. Under
those circumstances the business
man would pass up that place. 1t is
very much the same with the rail-
roads-they do not care to expend
their money in hostile territory.
The Minneapolis Journal touches on
this subject with much interest in
the following article:
prices in steel are somewhat
down, and it has been hoped that
purchases in steel would be excited,
thereby giving that impetus which
would start the ball of prosperity
rolling.
1.-THE railways are not induced.
They refrain from ordering. The Bur-
lington, for instance, will spend for
betterments this year $1,O00,O00 as
against So, 900, 900 in 1908 and $16,-
100000, in 1907. Its officials de-
clare that before the Burlington con
tributes to the causesaof industrial
prosperity by ordering according to
tits real needs and Its future require
ments, it must have surcease of legal
| nagging. The eleven states through
which the Burlington lines run, have
passed 500 laws dealing with rail-
ways within the last two years. There
are now pending in those same states
272 such laws.
"The predicaments of the Burling-
ton is matched by that of other sys-
tens. Consequently the railways be-
tween the Canadian border and the
Rio Grande are mostly engaged in
marking time until the day dawns
that will Justify them in putting in
to execution the plans their manage
ments have ready to announce as
soon as the perniciously active legis-
latures will permit. Meantime gen.
eral business prosperity halts.
cover the border, both north and
south, 1t is otherwise. The Canadian
Pacific is expanding $4,000, 900 on
improvements and extensions. The
province Of Alberta in a single day
last week guaranteed $50 miles of
Canadian Northern branch lines
and 500 miles Of Canadian Pacific
branches. to the aggregate of s27,-
$4,000.
american capital is active north
of the 49th parallel and south Of the
Rio Grande. Mr.. Hill has a project
of extension before the Manitoba
legislature. Mr.. Hartman has fl
nanced 1000 miles of Southern Pa
ciic extension in Mexico, and would
like to spend some s10,000,000 in
our state and Georgia, if allowed.
care the people themselves holding
back the return of prosperity? Are
Canada and Mexico evincing wisdom
superior to cur own?"
The prospects for the retention of
the prohibition movement in Mitch
ell for another year grow brighter
every day. One has but to look at
the improved condition of Main street
and itc absence of tho con prepated