El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-10-28

xxRTHUR~E.xS TII3wEEL. -the--most
~ remarkable figure IN the trans
LIZ portakion world, has written q
Scch. re was the builder and the presi-
dent OF the Kansas City, PittsburE & Gulf
Railroad, now known as the Kansas CITY
Southern, one OF the great north ana south
tines OF the Middle West. Now he s
building the Kansas City. Mexico &
Orient Railway, which Is the shortest
route by 100 miles from the Missouri River
60 the Pacific. This new Pacific line win
be finished n two or three years About
$50 miles OF tts track has been laid and -
sn operation The two ends are built, out
there are gaps between OF about $50 miles
Mr.. StllwelIs book. the title Of which is
Confidence or National Suicide?" is not
likely 70 DO the seasons best seller" but It
Is unique IN that Il Is the plain, outspoken
opinion OF one OF Americas great cap
tains OF industry. not only IN regard to
one Of the leading questions Of the day
but IN respect to some other big men Wall
Street Will be intensely interested IN It.
Investors viii read It from cover 10 cover.
The general public IS not likely to find Il
so absorbing. It is a protest against the
present attitude Of the American people
toward the railroads. Il is a plea for
higher railroad rates. Il Is tribute 70
the railroad builders, who Mr.. Stilwell
considers the greatest benefactors Of the
nation It Is a justification OF water" in
securities but Mr.. StiFwell makes the dis
tinction that much OF what is termed
water really Is enhancement Of values
and IS justified He lambasts the bear
raiders of Wall Street. denouncing them
as enemies TO prosperity and desroyers
of confidence. He has chapter entitled
-sGrabitis," in which he draws q picture
OF the money-mad man IN finance. The
person who reads this chapter Is likely to.
believe that Mr. Stilwell had 2. II. Harri-
man in view when he wrote It. He sug-
gests remedies for the present unsettled
condition OF affairs in America. Among
other things ne proposes a corporation
court and that traffic rates shall be fixed
for fifteen years. But above all he makes
the plea. let us be fair
Il Is q rare thing for railroad president
20 become an author, and the strange
thing about Mr.. Stiiwen Is that while he
has built two OF the great railroads OF the
United States he constructed them without
the aid and practically In defiance OF Wall
Street. He never sold & share OF his Sc
curities IN the New York Stock Exchange
It Is the only case on record sn America.
he never has had anything TO do with the
New York Stock Exchange. He never
bought a share or sold share Of any
stock on margin. His railroads have been
built as business enterprises. and have
been operated as such. They have had no
speculative attendants.
Mr. Stlwell is as proud OF his book as a
man is OF his Arstborn-. He say 1t liz sell
III. t.
Is going to have chapter on ''Water." in
which he viii show hoY large a part the
alleged water has played IN the develop
meat OF the railroads
OF al the great railroad men OF America,
New yorkers probably know Arthur q.
Stsl-eu the least, and yet he has been In
and around New York a good deal. He is
Eastern born. HIS grandfather was one Of
the builders OF the Erie Canal and of the
New York Central Railroad. and enc of
the great railroad and transportation de-
velopers Of his time. Young Stiiweu was
the pet Of this old railroad man. and from
his childhood was his compapion As q
boy Arthur Stilwen never piayed-he knew
none Of the games Of childhood. He was
an invalid almost from birth. He had to
be carried around on pillow. There ia
no evidence OF this now. for he IS a mag
nIfcent specimen Of manhood. He is s.
years old and looks to be 20. He has the
frame OF college athlete and the clear
skin and strong eye OF the clean-lIvinx
man. What education he has he picked I'D
out OF books and papers, for he went TO
school only two terms. He is not a rich
man, but he has a genius for raising
money. When he was IA years old his
father met with business reverses In the
Titusville oil field. and said TO him one
Day:
Arthur. I cannot furnish you with
t2ilor-made clothes and fine linen any
more I haven't the money to provide
them"
The boy told the father that he never
would need to buy anything for him again.