New-York tribune., 1909-11-11


house improper treatment Of customers is
soon noticed. as II leads 10 loss OF ousi-
ness. Tor the patron can go elsewhere.
nut II the local patron OF rahrosd IS
not treated right. revenues are not re-
duced. He must use the railroad company
any way, but his evaporation is all the
greater because he is helpless
LEGISLATIVE POINT OF VIEW.
Ex-Consressman W. p. Hepburn. OF
Iowa. spoke from the point OF view of the
legislator. He said:
There are some men prominent IN rai-
road councils who seem to regard the peo-
pie and the lav-making power as enemies
enemies who are willing TO destroy OF
greatly injure them These men are "o-
fully mistaken There are no people OF
il the law Is obeyed. II equality OF rights
Is given TO all the people, II frehzien
france is avoided. II men will be content
with moderate gains. confidence IN the
spirit OF justice that animates r1lHay
management will be restored, destructive
legislation will cease. and amity ana ac-
cord VIII take the place OF hostile eohteh-
tiCn-
Amity. complete accord. is the relation
between the manager of the ROADS ana
their patrons that Is most 70 re oesreu,
and where existing viii best promote ue
true interests of all The mass OF the peo-
pie are directly interested in the wellbeing
OF the roads. IL would be wellnigh sui
cidal for The law-making power 20 IN
dUlge in enactments that were unnecessary
simply for oppression's sake. and that
would cripple the roads in their efforts TO
pi oduce these conditions of prosperity. Yet
lawmakers are like other men. They do
not look with favor upon those who deride
their authority and contemptuously refuse
obedience TO the law they have enacted
in efforts to secure the welfare Of those
whom they must protect. They VIII de-
mand that the full measure of obedience
be rendered 20 the law we now have.
Letters were read from Marvin Hughitt.
president OF the Chicago & Northwestern;
w. w. Finley. president of the Southern
Railway. and James McCrea. president Of
the Pennsylvania Railroad
PROMINENT MEN PRESENT
Among those at the speakers table
were ]. s. Darst. Ira b. Mills. E G.. Miner.
s S. Mcclure. H NJ Byllesby. W. p
Hypes. John Kirby. jr. ]. Edward Sim
mons. Chauncey NJ. Depew, T A Grimm.
Frank W. Stevens. J. Pierpont Morgan.
George A. Post. George Westinghouse.
Martin A. Knapp. Frank A yanderlip. E
NJ. Skinner. Henry r. Towne. Alfred A.
Pope. st. Clair McKelway. W. G. Besler.
James Speyer. A F. Gates. Edward Gil
lette and Judge Nathaniel Ewing.
Among the other guests were Robert c.
Clowry, William E Corey, Ralph NJ. Easley.
J. T. Harahan. z. T. Jenery. l. F. Loree.
Paul Morton. Ralph Peters. Charles NJ
schwab. George r. Sheldon. Theodore p
shonts and Isidor Straus.
At the business meeting in the after
noon. In addition TO the reelection OF Mr..
Post president. Charles A. Moore was
elected treasurer and II. II. Westinghouse
o. ~. Cutler. ". H. Marshall. E s. S.
Keith. A. II. Mulliken and o. P. Letch-
worth were elected vice-presidents.
ANNUAL REPORT.
The annual report was read by A. II.
Mulliken. II said:
The members who founded this associa-
tiOn intIusted to your committee the franz
distinct understanding. Having on the roll
members Of various political parties hold
ing divers views as TO public questions,
the founders Of the organization drew the
line clearly that no action should be taken
in matters OF public policy except such as
would directly tend 10 promote wisdom in
railroad regulation. To that line We have
hewn. We have taken part In the af-
fairs OF any party or faction, or In the
discussion OF any question except railroad
regulation. and our experience with this
method leads US TO the conclusion that II
should be uniformly adhered 10 in the fut-
ure-
Of President Taft that he will recommend
10 Congress at its coming session a re-
vision of the laws regulating interstate
commerce. The programme tentatively
outlined by the President includes sugges-
tiOns which affect such vital questions as
revenue. capitalization and the rights Of
the carriers before the courts. The pros
perity OF the railways may depend In a
farTeaching way upon the soundness and
wisdom Of the action taken with regard
to these proposals. Some OF them II
adopted in certain forms would involve
radical readjustmeBts with results which
cannot confidently be fOretold. The dis
| cussiOn. moreover or conservative meas
ures invites extreme amendments and
/ once Congress has entered upon the re-
/ vision Of the statute regulating COM
merce, sponsors for tn most revolutionary
bills will doubtless demand a hearing
II is our settled conviction that no real
benefit can come from q general pro-
gramme OF obstruction 10 regulation
Regulation has come to stay. There will
be commissions whether railroads like IL
or not Much of their work is performed
under difficulties. and II behOOves those
whose business interests are involved I'm
the wisdom Of the DEGREES to help rather
than hinder the commissioners. We must
give them not only statements Of fact and
OF opinion hut public support VIXEN We
think they are right. Friendly prOffers Of
conference I'm August are worth a great
zeal more than public attacks in March
when the bill is i'm its final stages