The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1910-03-25
RADICAL RAILROAD REGULATION AND n,
EFFECT ON BUSINESS.

To the Business Man:--With enor-
nous crops commanding the nighest
nrices ever known; with every kind OF
business on a safe and sensible basis;
Win merchandise stocks of all kinds al
most at a minimum; with everybody
DESTROYS OF making good all the neces-
sarv improvements which the past TWO
vears' depression would not permit OIL
and to fill up stocks which have peen
almost depleted, with plenty OF money
and credit to do all these things, there
Il a hesitation by the greater part OF
the business community, for the
reason that something has appeared
calling a halt in the progress which
had SO fairly started in the latter hait
of 1909. The one great and most ap-
narent element which has caused this
hesitation. is that the railroad cor
noratfons of this country have stopped
the purchase of anything beyond their
Immediate necessities, so much SO
that betterments which had been
projected, (which are not only better
ments, but in great many cases are
almost. or soon will be necessities)
amounting to over one thousand mill
lions of dollars, have been held up. 1t
is customary for railroads to prepare
their budgets of expenditures January
| LIST. If these budgets had been pre-.
pared on the lines OF necessities the
outlook for general business, particu'
larly among manufacturers, would be
exceptionally good for 1910. These
budgets have not been presented, and
are not within the call, or even within
the sight of those who would gladly
welcome them, and it is doubtful wher
we will be able to make any reason
able forecast in the manufacturing anc
commercial world. 1t is unquestion
ably true that the railroads would
gladly enter, into year OF liberia
expenditure, but as matters stand now
it is quite possible that they will b
compelled to drop back into the con
dition they were in the latter part o
1907 and during the year 1908, that is
purchase nothing except that which
is absolutely essential, and the reason
are exactly the same as those tina
existed in the early part of 1907 tina
Is Radical Railroad Regulate
. Our legislators seem to be unmind
full of the causes of the depression o
1907 and 1908, and give every ind
cation of re-entering the field wit
even more laws to interfere with an
discourage the investment of money i
railroad enterprises, whether it be 70
increases or improvements in existin
: lines, and absolutely calling halt o
new projected railroad enterprises
And the railroads have not reache
the position that they now occup
through any concerted plan; they a
realize and appreciate the necessity {
renewing their tracks and equipmer
that the recent depression would NJ
permit of. This in the face of ver
general actual or threatened deman
for large increases in the wages I
their employees, and knowing that II
only way they can grant these a
vances will be by corresponding a
vance in their revenue, and the on
way in which they could increase the
revenue would be by raising the
rates, and certainly the outlook fl
this is far from promising. They ha7
no certainty as to the character of lie
islation to come; they are in positi'
fear of Congress, and are warrant'
in that fear by special bills alreaC
introduced, which is sufficient eau
for them to hesitate. They are n
y certain that the people general
would favor any increase in rates, al
they are equally uncertain as
III whether the public would not side wi
L. labor in it's increased demands up
III the railroads. They feel as all owne
re of property naturally would feel, til
IL the earning capacity of their proper
u is now absolutely dependent upon t
d manner in which they shall be e
ne erned. They do not know what ii
tie government is going to be; they g
n almost positive that there will be
legislation which will cause an
&C. tAd