The Washington herald., 1909-10-10

It Il only a few years since B. r.
YoalIum came 20 New York from Texas,
his native State, says the New York
World.
he lives on his farm on Long Island.
on which he raises big crops. and Incl
dentally operates about 1900 miles OF
railroad In the West. He works with
out looking at the clock, and never for
gets that. big as New York is. the great
empire west of the Mississippi IS bigger
still. Now and then, besides running
HIS farm, writing for the magazines.
and operating his railroads. he IS induced
to make a speech. He does not call
them speeches. but just common-sense
talks. Mr.. Yoakum has recently re-
turned from Oklahoma, where he talked
20 an audience Of farmers, at Shawnee
He came back full OF enthusiasm over
Oklahoma, what has been done out there,
what the State now is, and what he
thinks is the great destiny awaiting It in
tho future He believes In her possibili-
ties. in the patriotism OF her public men,
who are engaged IN working out her
problems and. above all. IL her farmers.
He thinks that some mistakes have been
made. but that all these are due to the
fact that Oklahoma put on her crown
OF Statehood at q time when the whole
country was in a turmoil OF hostility
against railroads, partly the railroads
fault and partly stirred up By Ill
informed politicians who were playing to
the galleries. When called upon at his
was asked:
Mr.. Yoakum, II you owned a farm
Ike this in Oklahoma and wanted 70
make It worth $50 an acre more than it
Is now worth. what would you recon-
mend ir the way OF changes in the laws
Of that State2"
What Followed in Iowa.
7 will answer that question In this
way" replied Sir. Yoallum. The value
Of farm lands all over the United States
depends on the relation OF the railroad
mileage to the number Of acres Of land
in n given State. Take Iowa, for ex-
ample. She has SS,OOOOOO acres Of land
and 10000 miles OF railroad Try to buy
farm there and you will find Sl25 an
acre the usual price. Why? Simply be-
cause every farm in the State has the
service Of a railroad within a few miles
OF T.
Vigorous men are living to-day who re-
member when you could buy the best
land in Iowa at s. an acre. The men
who owned these lands encouraged the
building Of railroads and framed their
laws accordingly. The result is that
Iowa is a net work OF railroads, and
he 90 IL
grain, his milk. and MS other products
into the big markets Of the country and
get city prices for country produce"
Don't you believe I'm railroad resu-
lation?"
I do, and have gone on record IN
favor Of II e hundred times. But remem-
Der that Oklahoma IS not Massachusetts
or New York. In other words. Oklahoma,
by her laws. ought to bid for railroads.
and when they come she will know how
70 regulate them. Speaking as an Okla
homa farmer, since you have asked me
TO assume that role, II I were farming in
Oklahoma I should stand for laws which
would cover the State with railroads.
With this accomplished there would be
no trouble about their regulation. Every
railroad means just 80 many new villages
and towns, a fixed home market for
IdIn pTOQuCIs ana an absolute Increase
in the profits Of farming. and in the
price per acre OF farming lands"
Would you favor allowing one rail-
road to buy stock in another and the
consolidation Of competing lines?"
consolidate Roadsf Yes"
''Of course, I should. What the farm
er wants is TO ship his stuff through
from the farm 20 the market over one
line. dealing with one set Of people.
getting quick movement, avoiding de-
lays and losses. In the old DAYS. be-
fore the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion and the State railroad commissions
It was thought the only way to protect
the people IN the matter Of rates vas TO
forbid the purchase by one railroad OF
another. This IS no longer true. Federal
and State railroad commissions now pro-
tect that If there were 5000 miles Of
railroad In Oklahoma all owned by one
railroad, the railroad commission OF the
State would have the power 10 tx the