Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-20
RIPLEY RAPS 7. h.;
SAYS INSURGENTS
ARE DESTRUCTIVE
Santa Fe Executive Hopes Next
President of U. S. viii Not
Be Progressive

f. =. Ripley, president of the Santa
Fe. who spent yesterday in Los An
peles en- route to his winter homo IN
Santa Barbara, hopes that the next
president of the United States will not
be a progressive
While giving indirect expression TO
that fervent hope, Mr.. Ripley called
the insurgent element in both the par
ties by quite a different name.
q call them destructive, ~ he sald.
'Thc people who are boasting of the
so-called progress in government the
people who are behind the new move
ment in both parties, are destruction
ists-nothing else.
"Their work is not building up but
tearing down. We are struggling un-
der burden of too much legislation of
all kinds. burt particularly of the So
called progressive stamp
Mr.. Ripley had just finished his
Christmas shopping in Los Angeles,
All afternoon he had trudged around
with his son, Frederick G. Ripley, OF
the oil department of the Santa Fe,
buying presents to delight the heart
of his little grandson, who is with his
private car party, and for his daugh-
ter. Mrs. Nelson Willard; Mrs. Ripley
and others. 1t had been wet and
murky afternoon, and maybe Mr. Kip
ley hadn't thoroughly enjoyed II, not
knowing that he had struck an off day
on the Los Angeles weather calender.
Or perhaps someone had sprung the
original joke on him that 1t was very
unusual
At any rate. Mr. Ripley felt in a
steam roller mood. and he let both the
parties. their leaders, their laws and
proposed laws, Mr.. Roosevelt and his
new nationalism included, be caught
under the roller and pressed out fiat
l. al tbp p1ifip1tiOn
the public
SCORES BOTH PARTIES
"'The railroads have nothing to eX-
pect from either party. As between
Republicans and Democrats, at pres
ent, there is nothing TO choose he
said Both are controlled by the de-
structive factions"
Tho election of a Democratic con-
eress promised no change for the bet
ter, as far as he could see.
While cschewiug politics, Mr.. Ripley
gave his opinion OF Mr.. Roosevelt as
1912 presidential candidate in these
words:
Il do not think the railroads would
view him with equanimity." The word
''equanimity" was pronounced with
smile which showed that Mr Ripley
was careful as to his choice of an ad-
iectiVc, and that he knew it. If he
had been discussing the matter with
another railroad official it is not diff
ficult to understand the synonym he
would have used.
As to Taft. Mr.. Ripley thought the
country didn't know enough about him
as yet, although he thinks the rail
roads would be q lot better off with
out that last batch of legislation
passed by congress at the presidents
dictation
"The most unobicctionable feature Of
it all is the commerce court" said Mr.
Ripley THE railroads have wanted a
body that would devote all its time to
railroad matters and would be a court
of appeal from the interstate commerce
commissions decisions.
TALKS or COMMERCE COURT
But the railroads will have to pay
for the education of the court, which is
composed of politicians instead of rail
road experts. This method of passing
on the Interstate commissions acts
will be more satisfactory to the rail
roads than the former plan Of taking
them to the district courts. District
judges are not equipped To decide i'm
portant railroad points
Eliminating Roosevelt and Taft as
1912 presidential possibilities, Mr. Rip
ley did not say whom the railroads
would favor among the Republicans
and was rctiCent as to Wilson, Harmon
or othor Democrats, But he says the
railroads are to be extremely cautious
in the immediate future; they are tired
of the progressive agitation, new ma
tionalism and insurgency and all that
smacks Of it; the railroads arc not go
ing to take a chance while this spirit
runs abroad in tho land. he declares,
but are hoping that out of al of it viii
come, and soon at that, that lull which
follows as well as prcccdcs the storm.
Mr. Ripley left at els last night in
his private car attached TO the South
crn Pacific regular train for Santa
Barbara, where he will pass the win
ter. if not called east on urgent busi-
ness. He was accompanied by his
Wife. Mrs Willard and grandson.