The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-06-10
THE RAILROAD OUR PARTNER

One of the first essentials to the dc
velopment and the prosperity of an
country is railroad. Without ade
quate transportation facilities it |
impossible to induce immigration, t
promote manufacturing and other en-
terprises and to give to the produce
whether his product comes from tn
factory or the farm, entrance into dis
tant markets. 54eg
That the Oregon Short Line rail
road has been a most important facto
IN the recent marvellous developmen
OF southern Idaho will not be serious
~ denied by those who have assiste,
IN and profited by the progress Of thu
section of the state. AS a result O
rates negotiated by the freight de
partment of the Short Line potatoe,
are marketed in Texas at a rate or1l,
ten cents higher per hundred pound,
than the rate from Greeley, Colo, tt
the same market. And Greeley 1.
fifty per cent nearer to Texas than |,
southern Idaho.
Grain from this section is shipped
to and finds ready sale in Colorado
Texas, and at Missouri and Mississippi
river points. Extremely low rates
have been made on beets to the sugar
factories and on sugar to the dis.
tributing centers of the country
Every producer has been made to
feel, as far as might be, that he is
a partner of the railroad, and the ef-
fort has been and always will be to
make the partnership mutually pleas
ant and profitable.
Enlightened railroad men have
long since come to the conclusion that
the prosperity of the corporations
they serve is coincident with the pros
perity of the territory through which
their lines are operated. The two
are absolutely interdependent and
this will always be true.
The railroads agree that It is their
duty to set before the world the at
fractions and the advantages of the
cities and the country contiguous to
their lines for every new settler in
creases by certain amount the value
OF the railroad property. Yet 1t is
just as much the duty of the railroad
to assist In making the new settler
prosperous and happy as it was to
induce him to come in the first in
stance
The writer does not believe there
is railroad in the United States in
which there Is greater harmony be-
tween all departments, in which more
team work is being done for the
country and the railroad. than ex-
lists on the Oregon Short Line. Idaho
has no better friend than w. H. Ban
croft, vice president and general man.
ager. No man, either in or out of
the state, is firmer believer in the
solidity of the states present pros
perity or in its splendid possibilities
for future growth and development.
Mr.. Bancroft has frequently shown
his faith bv his works He has built
branches, he has bettered operating
conditions, he has whenever posi-
BILE, seen to it that the companys pat
rons were given service of the high
est class both in the passenger and
in the freight departments. And no
one has a clearer realization than he
of the work that must be done by
the company to keen pace with the
states onward march.
Mr.. D. e. Burley general passenger
agent. and Mr.. ]. A. Reeves general
freight agent. are co-operating with
Mr.. Bancroft in establishing the high
est possible standard of efficiently all
along the line. If some of ths gen.
tlemen who are continually and cap
tfously criticizing the railroads-and
they belong to a class that is growing
smaller and less popular all the time
only spend little time in
the general Offices at Salt Lake City il
they could see the work that is go
ing on there for Idaho all dav long
and every day they would be shamed
into adopting a very different atti-
tude.
The plan under which the Oregon
Short Line is being operated has been
aptly described by railroad man as
a policy of enlightened selfishness."
It is. in other words a policy that
builds up the magnificent achieve
ments of the past few years mean
anything at all, mean more to the ma
terial welfare Of both the state and
The company than could be described
in the brief limits of newspaper
story.
The splendid citizenship of south
'rn Idaho, the high character. both of
he pioneer settlers and the newcom-
'rs, has been of inestimable value to
LII concerned. This section of the
state has been peculiarly blessed in
hat respect. With it's broadminded,
energetic men and women,
ts hundreds Of thousands of broad
md fertile acres, its endless canals
md laterals, its delightful climate,
rs prosperous cities and towns there
iced be no regret for its past no fear
or its future.
No man need have occasion for any,
hing but pride in speaking for south
I'm Idaho. For, no man ever had a
etter subject. There is room here
Or several times the present popula-
ion. To the thousands of happy
ONES that dot its sheltered valleys
hould and will be added thousands
I other happy homes in the years
hat are to come. The population
the cities will be increased many
Did. L.
No gift Of prophecy is required to
DrSnn this much for co,,fhorn Idaho |