Norwich bulletin., 1910-08-26

some particular trouble caused by some
 individual or individuals in this huge
 organizat ton. Is it fair to hold all the | resc Of the organization responsible for this? Leaving myself again entirely | out of the question, can testify from personal knowledge that the officers an1 employees of this railroad company are hard-working, duty-performing men.
 Is It Against the Directors?
 Is there to be a clamor against the
 directors of the corporation? ma
 ioritv of the directors of this company are cit.2ens of Connecticut. They do r,ot own the railroad Their private Interests outside of the railroad and as citizens Of Connecticut are greater, and generally far greater, than their in terest in the railroad. They occupy position of trust toward all the great int ests involved in the general man agement of a railroad system. I ven- turc confidently the assertion that no tribunal could be created by law which would Dc more certain to respond prcTnptly and efficiently to any appeal for the public good than the board Of director:' of this corporation.
 No Antasonism Between Railroad and
 Public.
 The board of directors and the off cers of this corporation find no antag- onism between their duties as trustees Of the great business placed under their charge and the interests of the public whom this railroad serves. They know that there can be no prosperity for any railroad which does not result fl om the prosperity of its own terri to,y- New England is off in a corner of the country. The raw products of its manufacture come from a distance. I Its finished products find distant mar kets he prosperity of New England is dependent upon the maintenance of freight rates which are no heavier than@fts industries can bear. The New York. New Haven and Hartford Rail- road company is all the time contend ing for the maintenance of such proper relations between the different portions of 9 complicated national system of freight rates as shall justly protect New England industries against their competitors in other parts of the Unit ed States.
 In the matter of public service. the officers of this railroad are all aware that the best and indeed the only way to secure for a railroad the highest de- gree of prosperity is to attract the greatest possible business, by giving the best possible service.
 Injury to RaiIroads-Injury to Public.
 In their turn, I think Connecticut people ought to realize clearly that any political action which materially de- creases the earnings of its chief rail- road company will injure the public even more quickly and more seriously than it will the investors in the se- curities of that company. There has never' been any considera ble series of years in the history of this company during which all of the net earnings of the company have been paid out to the holders of it's securities. It has always been the practice of the com pany to invest all of these net earnings over and above the expected return to investors in the improvement Of it's plant Any action by the state which lessens the earnings of the corporation will naturally tend to diminish the power of the corporation to improve its raj 6 --s-Y f,7 less efficient service. Any political ac- tion which diminishes the earnings of this corporation will also necessarily tend to impair it's ability to pay fair wages to it's employees and to give those orders for the purchase of supplies upon which the prosperity of so many citizens of Connecticut depends. The railroad cannot pay so much for wages or for ties or for machinery or for a thousand and one things unless it is allowed to earn the money with which to pay for them.
 More Specific Discussion Necessary.
 I could answer the questions of your letter more specifically if I knew more specifically what the abuses are whicI, it is desired to correct. Sometimes it happens that there arg abuses which call for drastic remedies Sometimes such abuses can be corrected by very simple remedies. It seems to me inn possible to intelligently discuss the remedies without having definitely in ' mind the evils to be remedied. I think the intellectual atmosphere surround ing this discussion would be much cleared if there could be a preliminary consideration. in detail, of the evils which Connecticut men find to com plain of in the conduct of their rail- roads.
 Specific Correction of Abuses.
 I frankly avow that I am not op- posed to any legislation which, after such consideration, may seem to be necessary for the correction of any real abuses, actual or threatened. I believe that any such legislation which is real ly necessary would benefit the railroad a much as the public. have no doubt that the Elkins law forbidding rebates to shippers has benefited the railroads of this country quite as much as it has the business world in general I be- lieva that the main advantage which has accrued to the public from federal legislation with regard to railroads has accrued from the Elkins act, efficiently enforced by the interstate commerce ! commission, rather than by the exer- else of any of the drastic powers given to the commission by the interstate commerce act. In so far as the inter i, state commerce commission confines it's {, activities to the correcting of abuses, 1 in so far will its influence be benef- i ciaL In so far as, it extends it's &C., tivities beyond that. sphere it will in | my judgment, create mischiefs far out { weighing any good it may seek to ac- i