The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-12-03
RAILROAD NEWS


RAILROAD NEWS
The following letter addressed to
the employees of the Short Line is
worthy the persual OF the public in
that it shows the attitude the officers
of the road wish its employees to bear
towards It's patrons.
The address of Walter Ross quoted
in thjs article is most valuable and
interesting article by an able man.
US length alone prevents its full pub
Tlication:
Salt Lake City, Nov. 16, 1907
To Our Employees. Desiring still fur
Their to promote cordial relations with
our patrons, the enclosed address by
Vice President Ross. OF the C. & A.
will be mailed to many residents
alOngSOur lines, as we'll as to our en-
ployes. II breathes a spirit we are
anxious to have prevail In all the
dealings with the public.
THE railroad that runs through
your town Is Just as much local
business as that OF any other mer-
chant In your town. Your local rail-
road agent Is your most prominent
and important business man, even
though you may have never regarded
him in that light. For everything
that comes into your town he brings
In, and he 1t is who sends out all
that you produce for the outside
world.
"The railroad business is dominate
ed by new spirit today. We are In
spirit. II not In actual time, at least
a century away from the period when
a Vanderbilt could arrogantly say:
The public be damned The mod
ern railway manager. who Is worthy
of his hire, now stands for the propo-
sition: The people be pleased.
The railroad ORGANIZATIONS OF this
country have much to their credit
for the manner In which they have
helped to develop veryinstitutionan
enterprise that has contributed to
the upbuilding Of this country. Strong
men form lasting institutions and do
not. like weak men, sink under them.
Great institutions and organizations
are not as crashing as they are ambi-
tious. and the best work of any man,
whether he be railroad manager or
a professional Chautauqua lecturer, Is
to give him time and his talent to the
work Of helping to build up others,
The railroads have, In the main, gone
on doing their work. faithfully and
we'll, In spite of misrepresentation
and of radical legislation, because the
same Providence that tempers the
wind to the shorn lamb watches over
His shearers also. And while the
LEGISLATION has cramped and hindered
1t has not been without its compen-
sating blessings in other ways.
The old Vanderbiltian theory died
because 1t was not only poor sense.
but poor business. as we'll. Most OF
the abuses that have grown up in
the railroad business, both those that
have been remedied and those that
still remain to be removed, were crea-
ted by the ignoring Of common BUSH
ness principles. Take the much dis
cussed question of Rebates That
evil grew because railroad men and
crashing shippers here and there ig-
nored what any Of your local business
men will tell you Is foundation prin-
ciple of all successful business the
nne-price principle In the long run
1t will win out In railroading inst
as 1t has always done In merchandise
ing.
Great institutions, organizations,
business enterprises, thrive. II they
last. through broadness of mind. the
confidence of those with whom they
do business, through industry and
competent service. and, above all,
through integrity The consolation
t0r all railroad managers who are
not only to get but to give
the square deal is that no sort OF
agitation can permanently destroy
confidence In their business except
where that business Is wrong.
1.-THE point / wish to urge is that
the railroad Is an essential and i'm
portant part of every community that
1t enters and touches. That, in so
far as Its business at any one point
Is concerned, 1t is purely local bus
mess and that 1t should respond to
public sentiment as quickly, as
promptly, honestly and sincerely as
any other business responds to the
demands Of Its clients. And that,
like every other business and bust
ness man, 1t should have an interest
In all that makes for the betterment
of Its supporting community. The
church, the Chautauqua. and the
school, these are all great and grand
institutions, demanding the loyal sup
port Of every right thinking and pat
riotic citizen. The heaven-pointing
church spire and the little red school
house stand for ideals without which
this country could not have advanced.
At the same time let me bespeak
kindly thought for the little old way
side depot. Its iron bands stretch
out to clasp hands with all mankind,
1t does for you, in material matters,
what these others do for you along
spiritual and moral and mental lines.
When the little old depot comes into
its own 1t will form one line OF
three-cornered triangle--and the 9TH
err two will be the church and school.
And Ii the men who operate the depot
and Its outreaching connections are
what they should be, then both 1t, and
they, will be worthy of that honored
company
1t is through the men who run the
railroad that the nn0nla Lunw