The Washington herald., 1909-07-11
Rr JAMEs p. MoRRow.

Brown, president OF the nine railroads i
which comprise the New York Central
Lines. Shippers and others had been
busting in and then disappearing into the
drah halls without for some time.
Mr.. Brown scrutinlzed me over his
crescent-shaped eyeglasses as I sat down
Al the side OF his desk. He Is a placid. !
blue-eyed. gray-haired, and singularly |
youthful-looking man. In dress. atmos- /
phere, and demeanor. he might be COM |
pared. In trimness, elegance. dignity. and
impressiveness. to his swiftest and best
limited train. His clothing was dark blue,
and there was a carbuncle stickpin in his
necktie Leaning forward in his chair
with the impassibility Of a craven image,
he waited for me 10 begin The attitude
was defensive, but not antagonistic-
Caution had been enjoined upon me In
respect 10 the stimulating and entertain
ing details Of his personal life. He was
utterly weary. I was warned, with pen
portraits OF himself and with narratives
Of his battles for success. Still ventured
70 ask: When and what was your first
employment on a railroad?"
u went 70 work on a section in 1853,
Mr.. Brown tersely answered. and his tone
carried neither pride nor regret 4 was
sixteen years old"
anu N4Aal MEAN gRAA net1N - NAiN
day?'
7 don't know. Ny envelope contained
$3.50 at the end Of the month when the
pay car came down the line"
Had Interesting Career.
The bridge over the years, since then
I made no hazard TO pass. Telegrapher,
train dispatcher. and general manager
Of great railroads In the West would
-
story as Mr.. Brown alone could have
related IT, Then there was Farley Brown,
his neutrality-suspicious. fighting be-
hind the intrenchments on Bunker Hill.
whence he carried a wounded brother on
his back after all the rebel powder had
been shot and the limping colonists were
IN victorious retreat I should have liked
10 ask him. also, about his father, a
Baptist missionary preacher on the
pralries Of Iowa, in whose Sunday school
class, among other barefooted country
boys. was John Forrest Dillon. after
ward a United States judge. and now gen
eral counsel for the Missouri Pacific
Railroad and the Western Union Tele-
graph Company.
IN the blood and birth OF the youthful
section hand. as VIII be seen. we're the
generic qualities which explain his man
agement Of 22S2 miles OF railway carry
ing a large share Of the immense com
merce between Boston and New York IN
the East, and St. Louis and Chicago. the
two giant gateways Of the enormously
rich empire in the West
Has rebating stopped?" 7 asked. start
ing the interview with a question which
I hoped would open other matters OF
value and interest.
Absolutely" Mr. Brown replied with
emphasis. The practice has become one
OF the unpleasant and obsolete customs Of
the past. Now as 20 the question in IT'S
historic aspect the public should recol-
lect that whenever the hand Of a rail-
road went out with a rebate the hand Of
shipper was extended 10 receive the re-
bate. The operation was mutual and
simultaneous.
Rebates n Natural Sequence.
Eighty years ago there were no rail-
ways Tie building Of scattered and
primitive roads once begun. It became.
time. energy. and all things considered
the most tremendous business movement
IN history. Old trades and professions
have gradually formulated their codes Of
ethics The builders and managers OF
railroads pressing onward in their energy
and marvellous development. did not dis
associate themselves In their principles
or their theories from other men OF busi-
ness They failed 10 perceive at first the
public character and obligation OF their
service. Rebates were demanded and
given in conformity with one Of the an
cient and daily rules OF buying and sell
ing:
"A man. for instance asked the price
for transporting 1.000 cars OF wheat. He
was given, in an honest belief that guam
tity should be considered, the wholesale
rr-ac If Than fla
retail price, or the rate, for eXcnple, on
a single car Of wheat. In other words.
the usual and understood staE1rds gov
erning the purchase Of anything n large
amounts were applied 10 transportation
Any tailor. ! suppose. Will ne a dis
count Il one buys three suits )lothes-
However. during the evolDuon OF the
railroad business, convictions began "a
form in the minds OF the men operating
our transportation systems Before a law
OF Congress made the matter plain II
was coming 10 be understood that rail-
ways are not like stores and factories. A
merchant through some personal idiosyn-
Grassy or beca use he doesn't like the looks
OF a customer may refuse within his
right 10 sell at any price. or he may
double the price or cut Il In two for some
one else.
Before any statutory definition was
offered railroad officers realized tha;
transportation companies were common
carriers, and that all shippers. in sound
morals and the principles % rair busi-
ness, ought 10 be treated exactly alike.
tha. wholesale prices and retail prices
had neither an ethical nor a legal place
in the hauling Of freight. Furthermore
It vas clear II the big companies and the
big men were given preferential rates
on their products, there would be nc
earthly opportunity FOR the growth OF
the little companies and the little mer
engaged in similar lines of business
Railroads Not Opposed to Law.
'The regulatory laws now on Hle Fed
erai statute books are the expressions
therefore. OF the enlightened spirit and
knowledge Of the day in which. and witt
which, I do not hesitate 10 say railroad
owners and managers and legislator
have shared and wrought alike IN IN:
interest OF the people Of the UniteC
States. The virtue ana the patriotism
Of the nation. you understand. are revei
centered in any one particular claSs- A
a matter OF history, as well as justice
the public should get and hold tie righ
idea concerning the genesis an6 evolutiO.
OF the railroad question.
In the noisy and unscrupu,ous cam
paign undertaken against railroad cor
porations by professional 6emagogues anS
nluck-rakers the average man. busy witt
his own affairs. failed 20 remember ths
the transportation companies OF the coun
try are really the partners Of ever
farmer and Of every person engaged II
business. II there were no railroads, =
IS self-eviGent there would be no pros
perity IN numberless interior regioai