The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1910-04-01
RADICAL RAILROAD REGULATION AND IT'S
EFFECT ON BUSINESS.

To the Business Man:-With cnor.
nous crops commanding the highest
prices ever known; with every kind Of
business on safe and sensible basis:
with merchandise stocks NJ an kinds al.
most az minimum. with everybody
DESTROYS Of making good all the neccs.
sary improvements which the past two
years depression would not permit Of.
and TO hll UP stocks which have been
almost depleted. with plenty OF money
and credit 10 do all these things. there
Is hesitation by the greater part Of
the business community. for the
reason that something has appeared
calling a HIATT In the progress which
had so fairly started In the latter half
Of 1909 The one great and most ap.
parent element which has caused this
hesitation. Is that the railroad cor.
poratlons " this country have stopped
the purchase Of anything beyond their
immediate necessities. so much 80
that bcttcrmcnts which had been
projected, (which are not only better
mcnts. but In great many cases are
almost. or soon will be ncccssitics)
amounting TO over one thousand mil.
lions Of dollars. have been held up II
Is customary for railroads to prepare
their budgets Of expenditures January
ist n these budgets had been pro.
pared on the lines Of necessities the
outlook for general business. particu.
| larry 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 II IL doubtful when
| We will be able 10 make any reason
able forecast In the manufacturing and
commercial world II H. unqucstlon
ably true that the railroads would
| gladly enter into year Of liberal
expenditure. but as matters stand now
| II is quite possible that they will be
compelled to drop back into the con
ditlon they were In the latter part Of
| 1907 and during the year 1905. that H.
/ purchase nothing except that which
Is absolutely essential. and the reasons
/ are exactly the same ns those that
existed In the early part OF 1907. that
Is Radical Railroad Regulation"
Our legislators seem to be unmind
ful Of the causes OF the depression oi
1907 and 1908. and give every indi
cation Of re.onterlng the field with
oven more laws 10 interfere with and
discourage the investment Of money In
railroad enterprises. whether Il be for
increases or improvements In existing
lines. and absolutely calling a halt on
new projected railroad enterprises
And the railroads have not reached
! the position that they now occupy
through any concerted plan: they ali
realize and appreciate the necessity Of
renewing their tracks and equipment
that the recent depression would moi
permit Of. This in the face Of ycry
general actual or threatened demand
for large increases In the wages ol
their employees. and knowing that the
only way they can grant these nd
vances will be by corresponding nd
vance In their revenue. and the onl!
way In which they could Increase thei
revenue would be by raising thcl
rates. and certainly the outlook 70
this Is far from promising. They hav
no certainty MS to the character OF les
lslatIon to come; they are In positive
fear Of Congress, and are warrante,
In that fear by special bills alread,
introduced. which IL n SUFFICIENT caus
for them TO hesitate. They are no
certain that the people general.
p would favor any increase In rates. ant
they are equally uncertain as I,
whether the public would not side will
labor In It's increased demands upoi
tho railroads. They feel MS all owner
Of property naturally would feel. tina
the earning capacity Of their property
Is now absolutely dependent upon III,
manner In which they shall be gov
orned. They do not know what tina
government Is going TO be; they arr
almost positive that there will be NJ
legislation which will cause an In