The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-09-22
GOVERNOR IS
A RADICAL
Stubs Demands Honest
Valuation Of Railroad
Systems

Topeka. kas., Sept Ex-Governor
w r. Stubs. oil Kansas outlined the
purposes OF the interstate rate con-
ference I'm a rather sensational speech
at the opening session here today.
The governor declared that the rail.
roads Of the country have combined
TO advance freight rates on scale
never before known. He said that the
railroads. of their own initiative, had
opened up the whole question OF as
cert0ining the valuation of railroads
by the testimony of railroad officials
before the interstate commerce com
mission. He asserted that the public
demanded nothing short of bona flde
valuation Of NIL railroad property and
daid congress should Immediately pass
law giving the interstate commerce
commission authority 10 ascertain
this valuation.
Gov. Stubbs also deplornd the ten
dency of railroads to favor large cit
les In the adjustment of rates
In outlining the purposes OF tho con-
ference. Gov, Stubbs said,
This conference was called to dis
cuss ways and means TO protect the
interests OF the producer. consumer.
| shipper and the public generally In
| the middle west from advance in
| freight rates involved In the most Inn
| portGnt case that has ever been heard
| by the interstate commerce commits
! sion. The principal railroad systems
| Of the United States nave combined
for the purpose oil advancing freight
| rates on a scale never before known
| In this case
In the case now pending the in
! terstate commerce commission Is not
| considering the question OF inherent
| reasonableness of any specific rates.
but are passing on the general prop
osition as TO whether the railroads
of the country are entitled. under
| present conditions, TO general ad
vance in rates.
IF they should so decide and ap-
prove the rates now held in suspen-
sion then their decision viii serve
as precedent not only To prevent
any reduction In rates in the future,
but to be usedaS a basis for future
| advances Of thousands OF other rates.
The railroads on their own lniti-
atlve have opened up the whole ques,
| ton OF ascertaining the value oil all
the railroads in the United States.
Railroad presidents. traffic managers
and other higb officials are giving
voluminouS testimony tending TO
prove what they claim to be the val.
! lie Of their property In order to es.
tablish basis for greater earnings
10 which they contend they are en-
titled under the law
Investigation Should Be Exhaustive.
The public demands nothing short
OF bona fide valuation OF all rail-
road property and public Officials,
| who represent tee consumer, pro.
ducer. shipper and rJeleral public
VIII be criminally negligent II they
10 not avail themselves ~ this op-
| portunity to go 10 bedrock and assist
| the interstate commerce commission
TO make searching and exhaustive
investigation, so as to determine the
actual value OF all the railroads in
| the United States
III. upon investigation. IL Is found
that tho railroads are Justly entitled
To nm advance in freight rates no
| good citizen Will oppose paying such
increased charges as may be Deces-
sary, but. on the other nand. If the
railroads are now earning from 10
/, TO 80 per cent on their capital stock.
then IL is clearly the duty OF public
! officials TO demand such reduction in
freight rates as may be just and
| reasonable under the Law.
! Congress should al once enact
law providing for the physical yalr-
alton OF railroads by the Interstate
commerce commission and this should
be done before any advance In rates
is permitted. There is no more rca-
! son why badly managed, badly con-
structed. Door}y-rated and over-cap-
! italized railroads should prosper than
why badly managed business OF any
kind should be successful and neither
the people nor the government have
any more rcSponSiblity to this class
of railroads than they have to HAD.
vised business operations OF any kind
! Building Up Large centers.
! The general policy of railroads
/ throughout the United States 10 favor
large centers and build up great cit
! les at the expense OF the rural com
munities Is little less thnu Il crime
against civilization. Snch a policy
robs hundreds OF thousands OF child
rem OF their natural right to whole.
some surroundings. sunshine, pure
air. and healthy social conditions.
The true policy should be TO so reg.
ulnte the transportation rates that
| the rural districts Will be benefited
and the population normally distrib.
utcd
The government and not The rail-
roads should determine absolutely
policies OF this chardctar"