The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-08-05

ming to improve the service in that
particular as in all others.
1T is very great pleasure to me
to meet with you here today. My
work takes me to many sections OF
the state and | have been so often
in many of the cities represented in
this league that | am described in
some of them as the village pest.
With many / enjoy a personal ac-
quaintance, one that in some in
stances has extended over long per-
iod of years. So that | feel free to
stand up here and talk to you on a
subject that is close to all our hearts.
The Railroad and the People.
Their interests are mutual and their
purposes are identical. If southern
Idaho had no railroads, if it's people
were still forced to rely upon the
crude transportation methods of pio-
neer days, you would not be market
ing your grain at Missouri and Mis-
sissippi river points, your potatoes in
Texas, your cattle and sheep and hogs
in Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City,
Portland and Seattle, your fruit in
the populous cities of the nation.
1T is true that the railroad is not
altogether charitable institution.
Men do not throw up entertainments,
pierce mountains, lay down ties and
rails and run rolling stock over them
solely for the purpose of helping their
felloW-men. Railroad builders expect
a reaonable return on their invest
ment or the most assuredly would
not make it, But is there man here
today who ever made a business in
vestment without expecting some re-
turn therefrom? If there is this
meeting is no place for him. He
should be occupying apartments in a
certain well known state institution
at Blackfoot. There is not a man here
who, If he was born in another state,
did not expect to better his condition
by coming to Idaho. And those of
you who were born here would move
away tomorrow If you thought you
could do better somewhere else.
80 we are in the same boat, gen.
tlemen, the railroad and the people,
and neither the railroad nor the peo-
pie can afford to rock the boat. |
am sure all of you appreciate this
fact, that you all know that we must
work together if we are to win to-
gether. We may have our little arg
uments; we may say saucy things to
each other once in a while but, aft
er the smoke clears and the rumble
of the guns is silenced we are better
friends than ever, For, we know
we are indispensable to each other.
ANY man who entertains a con-
trary opinion has about as much
knowledge of the true situation as
the man in the story had about gram
mar. This man went to visit a friend
whose hobby was good English.
Every morning when he came down
to breakfast he would say: Well,
how is things today?' His friend
stood it for several days. Finally,
one morning he said: Why when
you come down in the morning do
you always say: How is things?'
The other man looked surprised.
Why he answered. because want
to know how things is.
Il am glad, as have said, to be
with you today. The attendance at
this meeting, considering the fact
that it had been noised about that /
was to have place on your program,
and the further fact that the season
is busy one, is remarkably large. 1t
shows that you are in earnest in
your work, and ! beg to assure you
that am in earnest when l say the
Oregon Short Line will aid you by
every means in it's power. And,
speaking for myself as an individual,
want to say that all or any of you
may command my services whenever
you may happen to need them.
II want to help you in your work
of going into all the worlr and
preaching the gospel OF Idaho to
every creature. 1t is only through
such organizations as yours that the
maximum of efficiency in presenting
the states advantages to the outside
world can be attained. The popula-
ton OF the upper Snake river valley
can be trebled within the next five or
ten years, and it will be trebled if
every one of us will do his share
There is room here for all worthy
settlers and we must go out into the
highways and by-ways and compel
hem to come in. The Almighty has
lone his part and more. All that il
necessary is for us to run with cour-