The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-31

coded, but protection should go with it.
1t is not unlawful for railroads to
earn more than 6 per cent annually.
They must earn more than double
that to keep up improvements and pro-
vide for lean years.
These were some of the points made
by w. D. Hines, chairman of the exec
utive committee of the board of direc-
tors of the Santa Fe railway at the
Topeka public meeting last week
Mr.. Hines address is considered one
of the cleanest cut statements made
from the railroad view point. He said:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
AS an officer of the Santa Fe 1 am
particularly gratified to have this OPP
portunity to address the citizens of
Topeka.
ton and has a very large mileage in
Kansas, so that for both these reasons
it has important interests in common
with the people of Kansas.
We all recognize that a new era has
come in railroad mana cement; the peO-
pie have asserted and are now exercis-
ing very extensive control over rail-
road affairs and through their public
officers are taking part in railroad man
agement to a considerable extent. This
powers which have been conferred upon
the interstate commerce commission
and upon state commissions and Off
GERS.
I believe that railroad officers gen
orally accept in the utmost good faith
this new state of affairs and earnestly
desire to cooperate with the public
and to give the public full information
as to railroad conditions. I have come
in contact to an unusual extent with
he presidents and general counsel of
practically all of the important rail-
road companies in the United States
and have frankly exchanged views with
them upon this subject, so that I think
I am especially well qualified to assure
you that railroad officers do accept the
new order of things in the proper
spirit.
Railroad Business Public Service.
The reason the public exercises such
extensive control over railroad man
agement is because the railroad BUSH
ness is a public service, and l believe
that at the present time railroad Off
GERS generally feel a profound obliga-
ton to the public in the discharge of
this public service.
But the change which has come
about and has caused the public 10
take such active part in railroad man
agement calls for change of attitude
on the part of the public as well as on
the part of the railroads. I feel sure
that the public must appreciate that as
it has assumed the power to control
railroad management in such impor-
tant particulars it must also discharge
the responsibilities which go with that
power, and that it can not properly
discharge these responsibilities without
a careful study of railroad conditions,
and without viewing in a broad and in
telligent way the railroad situation as
a whole.
When the people were attempting to
assert their right of control it was not
unnatural that they should assume an
attitude of hostility toward the rail-
roads and should magnify railroad
faults. But since the attempt has beSn
successful and the people, through
their tribunals, now exercise this con-
troll there ought to be an end to this
spirit of hostility and to this tendency
to magnify the occasional mistakes or
misdeeds of railroad people. The time
has come when the public ought to con-
slider the good points of the railroads
as we'll as the bad and when it should
weigh the whole situation and act with
a thorough understanding of all the
facts.
Public Should Also Protect.
The public regulates the railroads
because the railroad business is a pub
lie service. The very same reason de-
mands that the public should protect
and foster the railroad business. The
public favorS and promotes every other
form of public service and there is no
other form of public service which is
condemned simply because of the oc-
casional mistakes or wrongful acts that
may occur. Then, as the railroad BUSH
ness is a public service and is regu-
lated by law, for that reason, why not
give the railroads at least a fair meas
ure of the same consideration which
the public invariably gives to all other
forms of public service?
| Therefore 7 ask this audience an
important portion of the public of the
state of Kansas, to consider with me
in a thoughtful and earnest spirit, GER
tain railroad questions. You are deal
| ing with an important public service
and you have assumed the RESPONSE
bility of controlling that service in
many vital respects; consequently am
! sure you will agree with me that it is
| entirely proper for you to give thought
| full consideration to the important
| taken to deal. These questions are not
| romantic or piring-they are plain,
| everyday problems of business life.
| They may be dull and uninteresting but
| they must be carefully considered if
! the public is to regulate the railroad
/ business in an intelligent and bene-
! fetal way. This is my apology for
| speaking to you about some rather un-
/ interesting problems that must be dealt
with.
A Mistaken Notion.
The first point I wish to cali to your
attention is that there is a mistaken
notion in the present day that it is I'M
! lawful for railroad companies to earn
more that 6 per cent upon their value.
| This idea is repeatedly asserted but is
/ absolutely wrong.
In passing, I may say that there are
very few railroad companies in the
country which, as a matter of fact, do
average more than per cent upon
their fair value. But. nevertheless. IT
is important that the public should
proceed upon right principles rather
/ than upon wrong principles. and IN
/ doubtedly it is wholly wrong to assume
that it is unlawful for railroads to
earn more than per cent upon their
value. It is generally claimed by those
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