Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-10

can be truthfully said that Daniel VIII
lard, president Of the Baltimore and
Ohio road, could subscribe to two al
least Of these three accepted facts. In
Washington before the interstate com
merce commission, Mr.. Willard re
Gently achieved greatness, and he also
literally had greatness thrust upon
him. Compelled by force of circum-
stances to perform more or less dis
tasteful duty to the entire railroad
world, Mr.. Willard took the witness
stand before the commission in de-
tense of the contention made by the
eastern roads that they were in dire
need of additional revenues, and in a
single day his reputation sprang to
the very zenith of the railroad horizon.
Mr.. Willard probably does not
realize this truth, yet, despite the fact
that the railroad and financial worlds
of the east have hailed him as the
most likely successor to the late Ed
ward H. Hartman; and have acknowl-
edged him as the possessor of the big
.gest and most astute brain in the rail
way field of endeavor.
Causes Him Surprise.
Had Mr.. Willard not shrunk from
becoming a witness in the increased
freight rate investigation, the prank
that fate played would not be so
noticeable, and none was so greatly
astonished as he regarding the furry
and the opinions which he gave the.
commission regarding the foremost
railway problem Of the times. t.
BY the mere expression Of opinions
many Of the things that
have remained dark secrets from the,
average mortal Mr.. Willard sprangt
from the position OF a new and untried
railroad president to most. command
ing position and gained reputation
that 1t might have taken him years to.
have acquired in the average railway
service. The peculiar thing about it
is that in taking the witness stand Mr..
Willard had to stand comparison with
men whose names have been most in
mems mouths when large railway
problems have been under considera-
ton.
Still another peculiar thing about
this summit of achievement reached
in a single day is the fact that this.
new railway president made as strong
and as favorable an impression on the
shipping interests as he did upon the
railway interests. Furthermore. his
expressions regarding the great prob
lem which the interstate commerce
commission is trying to work out
called forth expressions of extravagant
praise from members of the commits
sion, who had not, it is thought, been
forcefully impressed with the explana-
tons given by other railway men OF
prominence.
Lesson in Testimony.
To every one who has made a.
study of the relations that exist be-
tween the railroads and their patrons
and Of the relations that should exist,
Mr.. Wizards testimony carries, it is
thought, a great lesson. One Of the
most prominent representatives OF
the shippers side of the increased
rate controversy. H. G. Barlow. traffic
director OF the Chicago Association OF
Commerce, said, at the conclusion OF
the testimony of the Baltimore and
Ohio's president: IF all railway
officials were like that man we would
not be looked upon with suspicion"
What did this new eastern railway
president do to spring so forcibly into
prominence in single day, it. might
be asked. He simply made frank
and open confession of the railroad
situation, concealing nothing that
might hurt the interests he represents,
denying nothing that the shippers adj
vanced in the realm of fact; did not
try to dodge and squirm under cross
examination when skillful attorneys
played strongly upon the weak and de-
fenseless portions of the railway
armor and launched some new, plaus-
ible and revolutionary theories regard
ing governmental control Of railroads
that made some Of the so-called con-
servative presidents sit up and take
notice.
Not Shippers Foe.
More than all this, Daniel Willard
showed that he fully appreciated the
shippers side of not only this, but of
all the controversies that arise, and
drove home the gospel of taking things
as they are and not as agitators and
theorists would have us believe them
to be. The frankness with which he
discussed the questions at which most
railway presidents shy, created, per-
haps the most favorable impression.
Admitting to the uttermost extent the
benefits of governmental control Of
railroads. Mr.. Willard declared that
control and regulations have, since the
world began. implied and carried with
them the obligation of protection This