The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-08

they should be II charge upon the com
mnhlties in which they committed their
| crimes rather than n menace to the
States and communities to which they
may be transported.
=-=-==----=---===
THE RAILROADS AND TIE People Il
IF the railways in the United states
would reach a time when state legis-
lators ceased from troubling and the
| State commissions were at rest, 1t
would IN my thinking, be good for the
railways and still better for the citi-
zens of the United States"
THAT was not said BY politician.
or a representative Of ''the interests :,
or subsidized newspaper, but by Mr.
W. NJ Acworth. "thc highest author
lily on tho railways OF Great Britain
as he has been truly described by DR..
iladley, President of Yale University
and Chairman OF the Railroad Sccuri-
ties Commission appointed BY MIR.
Taft by authority of Congress.
Mr.. Acworth has been making a care
fui study OF the railway situation In the
United States during the last two
months He is REGARDED IN his own
country as the best informed man upon
the subject Of railroad valuations and
railroad administra ton, and has fire.
qucntiy visited the United States for
the purpose OF examining the railway
aud commercial conditions here in tho
interest Of English investors in Ameri-
can securities. Mr.. Acworth was in
troduced 10 tho Securities Commission
as an expert on this subject and .testi-
fed last month before that body. lIc
has now returned to his home in Eng
land. but. before leaving the United
States, expressed his opinions very
clearly to Il reporter for The New York
Evening sun on the railroad. situation
here.
The principal fault NJ. Acworth
had to find with the railway admins
tration in the United States was the
Capitalization OF administrative power
In the headquarters offices in Chicago
and New York. While admitting that
such Capitalization would doubtless
tend to efficiency and economy, he was
of the opinion that it was responsible
in some degree for the present strain
ed relations between the railways and
the public. He would have the people
and tho managers of the railroa d $
brought III closer touch, and thinks
that in the tar South and IN The far
West the large railroad systems should
have real executive officers with the
largest possible discretion 70 deal
with local questions OH tho spot" IIe
OF tho railway systems visit the diff
ferent communities along their lines
from time to time for the cultivation of
tho acquaintance of the people served
by the roads. If such a policy should
be adopted, he believes that the rail
way men would soon live down much
OF the antagonism that has been mani
tested in various parts Of .hc country,
There is nol the least question about
the accuracy OF these views. ana the
railroad men are beginning to find it
out for themselves. There is Presi-
dent Finley, OF the Southern Railway,
for example, .Sho has greatly strength
encd that system throughout the South
by frequent conferences with the peo-
pie themselves in different communi-
ties served BY his lines. He has found
receptive and sympathetic audiences
wherever he has gone; a disposition on
he part OF the public 10 insist upon
fair play for his railroads. 1t was not
always so with the Southern Railway,
and it will never be otherwise again,
We are sure. once 1t is made plain
that the interests Of the railroads and
the interests OF the people are the
same we shall have an end CT tile UNI
fortunate ana Improbable differences
that have existed between them and
largely, VIC arc inclined 10 think
through misunderstanding.
Mr.. Acworlh said some things in his
talk with the sun reporter which the
people and the aw-makers throughout
the country should know. After ex-
pressing surprise al the space given
! i'll tho ne wspapcrs to criticisms OF the
efficiency of the railways in this coun-
/ try. Mr. Acworth said
/ IT has always been my opinion that
! IN actuai economy of opcrat ton the
/ railways Of the United states are first
| III tho world, III the number of tons
I per car, cars per train: in the fullest
publication Of locomotives in the OBJ
/ tanning OF the greatest measure of re-
! suit for each unit Of expenditure. they
| are not cqualed by the railways OF
! any other nation"