The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-06-17
THE RAILROADS. AND THE
PRESS, THEIR DUTY no
THE PUBLIC

Industrial Agent of the Oregon Short
Line.)
A few years ago. when I was earn
ing an honest living in the newspaper
business, there were people who were
unkind enough to say that | could
write more and say less than any man
that ever tapped typewriting ma
chine. When, in a moment of mental
alteration, my young friend Mr..
Jones offered me place on your pro-
gram he little realized that he was
promoting the lemon industry.
He may have thought I'd decline.
He may have remembered my many
promises to attend press club meet
ings of the past, promises that. for
ought I know. are now being used as
paving material in region far re-
mote from Bellevue. I had made so
afraid Mr.. Jones had come to regard
me as being as big liar as old man
Jabe Gowby.
Gowby was sutler in the Revolu-
tionary war After the war he pro-
NOTED himself, of course. to colo
nelcy and was very fond of telling
stories about the memorable conflict.
One night the young men gathered
about him asked him to tell them a
story of the war. "Tell us about a
battle, Colonel" said one.
What BATTLE" said he.
"Well, the battle of Monmouth. /"
"Ah, yes. the battle Monmouth. I
remember as If 1t were yesterday. /
was in the horse. but 7 fought on foot
that day. The first of the enemy to
appear I pierced with my sword. The
second I cleft in twain. And on they
came and on I fought until 7 was
surrounded by veritable den of dead
men. Suddenly I felt a gentle tap on
my shoulder. looked around. There
stood General Washington. 7 shall
never forget the majesty of his de-
meanor or the solemnity of his tone.
Colonel, said he, for Gods sake
stay your hand Would you turn the
battle field into slaughter pen?' -
I fooled Mr. Jones this time. 7
simply jumped at the chance to be
with you today. And before 7 am
through I'm afraid you will be re-
peating the alleged words of General
Washington to Old Man Gowby, For
Gods sake stay your hand"
When 7 was in the newspaper bust
ness I felt fully qualified to advise
railroad men regarding their duty to
the public. I never hesitated about
giving them advice on every conceiv-
able subject connected with their bus
mess. They rarely followed my adj
vice, but I was always glad to get it
out of my system. Now that I am
in the railroad business-with my
limited experience I can hardly call
myself a railroad mani approach
the first part of my subject with con-
siderable trepidation. Being out of
newspaper work I feel much better
qualified, in common with everybody
else who isn't in the newspaper bus
mess, to tell you how you should con-
duct your publications.
1t has been said that corporations,
and especially railroad corporations,
have no souls. This is true in the
sense that they are creations of law.
But I have found that the railroads
have, not one, but many souls; not
one, but many hearts; all human, all
prone to err as the sparks fly up
ward; but all, at least the very great
majority, earnestly striving to build
up the country they serve, honestly
endeavoring to promote the wellbeing
of the people whose prosperity is
their prosperity, whose happiness is
their happiness.
This l have learned since I have
been in the railroad business. have
learned. too, that railroad men are
not cast in mould differing in any
degree from that in which the rest of
humanity was formed. To paraphrase
from one of the greatest character
delineatons of the master crafts
man of that field of endeavor.
Hath not railroad man eyes?
Hath not railroad man hands, Or
gans, dimensions, senses. affections?
Fed with the same food, hurt with
the same weapons. subject. to the
same diseases, healed by the same
means, warmed and cooled by the
same winter and summer as the rest
of you are? If you prick him does
he not bleed? If you tickle him does
he not laugh? If you poison him does
he not die?
My friends, the railroad is not a
mere machine of iron and wood and
steel; it is human institution. 1t
will be long time before | can re-
gard myself as railroad man, rath-
er than as a newspaper man, for the
railroad business is the most COM
pick proposition in the world Men
who have devoted their entire lives
to intelligent study of its problems
have been able to master but few of
its many details. So | want you to
understand that. in my further talk
to you about railroads and railroad
men l am leaving my own personality
as far as may be, entirely out.
Experience has taught me that the
railroads, through their officers, hon
estly desire to build up the territory
through which they run. A moments
reflection should suffice to convince
any fair minded citizen of the correct
mes of this statement
Some writer has said when the
merchant, the farmer, the profession
al man. the manufacturer, finds that
he is not prospecting in one commun-
fty he can move to another. When a
. railroad is once put it stays put. 1t
can never be moved. Therefore it