The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-02-17
RAILROAD
MEN SORE;
Resent
REPORT

New York. Feb, lq-0u petry slide
ralf0aa managers and financial men
Interested IN railroad securities are
cundennlng the Interstate commerce
commission tor ihc hostile tone which
lhey assert. prevaies the twsnty.sec
unl Anhuia report 81 that baAy N0il
ng witch the commission has done
lu gears has 80 tiled me breasts Of
me nle railrDad men With 2 rense
of Injustice /, is even charged that
he commission has issued statements
as facts which only 4 superficial NJ.
vesigailon would have shown TO be-
untrue. that the document "a frequent
IS contradictory; does not give the
faIlroais lue credit takes 4 i0I
granted thai they are williul law
breakers, aud has q tone throughout
which tends 10 excite antl-ralroad
sentiments generally
Some portions Of the report tc
which the gfeatest objection ia made
arc credited To Edward A. Moseef
Nho has had supervision Of the en-
iofcemenf Of The safety appliance act
fhe latter law states that the proyi
slons 80 the act shall D0i apply @
casualties or unavoidable accident OF
the acts sai God
Excerpt From Report
Ia treating upon this exception the
report states: presuming upon these
exceptions carriers have endeayored
10 expinln theH failures to comply
With lhe law BY . variety Of REASONS
which. in the opinion Of the commits
sion. ere not emergencies sucn as
we're contemplated By Congress in
lraftine The rtatute. Among these
excuses may be mennoned leaky
valves. hot boxes, draw.haada pull
nd out. engine failuress broken az
hose. etc., some os which lave re-
sull9 Y IL detainlng men on lutY .ipi
periods Of more than forty hours.
railroad operating men insist that
tale Is IA untruih and declare that
ii the tlme the law went into cl
fecl committee visited the comniis
alon aud discussed this feature of the
law cne of the commissioners, with
che cunseifl oi The others. presumably
specified The yery things which the re
DofE now SAYS the commission regard
s. Insufficient sa be elasssd witch
amereeneies The report recon.
aea6s ih4t this provision ui the laN
&c made anecilIc as 10 the nierpre
lailons to be nlteed upon the terms
@oaaualtye and unavoidable accident
Hence controversies mnal neces-
srells arise concludes DE paragraph
7an while such questions can after
The asnal Period ol litigation, be Judi.
ihily determined their settlement
hy such mems Wlu entail large
arpanse up1a lHe government as well
aH aoaadershle ialas 10 attaining tho
measure of benefit which lhs law
should reasonably afford 4 ls fhefc
fore desirable That Congress ahoull
clarity the situation
sitter presenting Ahis picture u
slie railroads using anhleriuge lr
eyaalnR The law of long litigation
said to BE- necessary % settle such
controversy 4 II soineahgi Of shoek
70 be told on The next nage Of tlo
report:
THAT satisfactory results have fol-
i0Wfd the Efforts Of the commission
10 secure by correspondence with car.
rlers ctmullance With the spirit of
tho law Almost without exception The
carriers have adapted their lracileeF
lo TIE Interpretation Of Tie law an.
n0umeed hy he commission
Ia reviewing ils Investigation Ia
lhe Hartman case the commission
he's nude statement which has
caused the railroad officials and iinan.
clal men e sit up ana gasp Here it
ls THE liniou racliic railroad Is
nol & private enterprise 81 Is d pub.
lle servant dlscharelne es ihe agent
cl ihe governments q public function
When they read This remarkable state
ment railroad men rubbed their eyes
ara wonder Since when. they ask.
have ihey heoomr the agents oi The
government and Rhen was The re-
ialIonship 0f principal and agent es'
lahllshe5 between the government
and the railroads? Is Il possible ,they
ask that they are ia reality working
frr The government and that he gov
enment has alFeady taken over the
railroads ana D. running them as q
separate and distinct department
Apparently sgeh is The opinion ol
the commission on AZ least Of The par
tIeulat commlssiousf who may have
written DIS pGfl 81 me annual rs
ngi.
Apparent Contradiction
Strangely untnet however. y