The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-05-13

4 deed of every individual-it is not to
be wondered at that every one feels
| priviledged to take hand in the man.
agement of the railways. Our whole
scheme of civilization today is depend
ent upon good and cheap transporta-
ton. The food upon our table is sup
piled from immense distances, and the
same is tr',e of all our daily needs.
When transportation was confined
solely to short distances, every COM
munity was obliged to content itself
with the articles which were pro-
duced within a small radius. But in
this country, where TRANSFORMATION has
been developed to higher degree of
efficiency than anywhere else in t, e
world, we do not think anything at
all of driving our means of SubSiSt-
ence from distance of two or or
three thousand miles AS a nation,
we stand for protection of home in
nish the best example of great free
trade experiment We do not allow
any part of the Union monopoly in
any article of production or manufac-
ture, and time and time again since
the railroads were created an industry
well established in one part of the
country has been entirely destroyed
and replaced by the more successful
production another district.
Note-A number of examples might
be cited. The case of the wheat-grow-
ing and f1our-making industry in the
Genesee Valley, which was displaced
by the successful cultivation of wheat
in various western states and event
ually the extensive development of
thN industry in Minneapolis. Many
other cases might be found in manu-
f-cturing and other lines.
And yet, all this has come about in
little more than two generations.
The first steam railroad to be oper-
ated in the country was opened for
business just eighty years ago this
year; and during this period of eighty
years. by far the greatest part of the
development has been during the last
one-third of the period. 1t is hardly
to be wondered at that in growth
so rapid some serious blunders have
been made and that there have been
errors Of judgment, as well as serious
misdemeanors for which the railroad
officials may be justly censured. In
deed, it is no part of my object this
evening to pretend that railroad men
are more capable or more honest than
their brethren in other walks of life.
1t is my desire, however. to point out
some of the difficulties which railroad
development has had to contend with,
and to indicate very briefly that the
remedies which have been applied
from without have frequently had en-
tirely opposite effects from those in
tended.
In my opening remarks, called at
tention to the fact that it was perhaps
natural that every one should feel
that he had a right to take hand in
the management of the railroads, for
it Is evident that every man, woman
and child in this land comes in con-
tact with the railroads, and in this in
innate contact, one cannot fail to note
things to criticise. And yet, if it has
seemed to you that railroad officials
both big and little, have chafed under
the criticisms and suggestions, can
only ask that you put yourselves in
their places. What one Of you would
accept with equanimity suggestions as
1 81 1,t,c iro G
at all comparable with the suggest
ions and criticism, not to melton
legal restraint and interference,
which railroad officials have to accept
daily? What would you say if citi-
zens of your community wero to be-
gin to inquire the cost Of articles you
are selling over your counter, and
criticising he profit which you are
making in some cases; or finding fault
because, for some commercial reason
which you consider ample. you were
selling one article at little or no
profit, and another article at a very
high profit? | am aware that any sug-
gcaticn along this line will be met
with the objection that because rail-
roads are quasi-public Undertakings
because, for some commercial reason
y porations. they must submit In other
words, because railroads have certain
4 public functions to perform and are
given certain privileges In the ex.
+ preparation of right of way which
often means that they must pay twice
/ what any other purchaser would pay
thereby they forsake all rights to con
duct their own business. AS rail
j lad man. ! shall not pretend to say
that there is not distinction between
the two cases; but / do contend that
the quasi-public institution theory is
frequently worked for more than it is
worth and that it is producing just
the condition of affairs which the pub
lie docs not want, and is certain tc
Y regret in the long run. The reasons
for this will try to explain as l pro
4 coed
In country growing as our coun
try is. the demands on transportation
increase at rate which may be con
servatively estimated at five per cent