The Washington times., 1911-11-20
Newlands Makes Inquiries.

ttobb tho COntlnenI TdllfOdu. ASK
ed Senator Newlands,
Eleven dollars. for steel rails"
Newlands Makes Inquiries.
And what is the cost of shipping
raw sugar from the Philippines to New
York. via the Tehrantepec railroad.
II don't know the rate"
well" replied the Senator, IT un
derstand It is IS; and less from the
Hawaiian Islands
THE rule is. that for the cost OF
ons st.r mile. ss haul Se by 5s three miles ,,
tances are involved. four to one Is the
basis for dividing rates. You should
carry lumber from Seattle to New Yorl
at $ a ton; 1t Is vastl, more by rail-
New York would at once add a valua.
tion Of $50, ,00A000 to the lumber inter.
est of the Pacific coast alone.
Senator Newlands got interested in
done more to develop the transportation
business while the canals construction
You Say, that the Government boats
developed business in an encourag-
ing way?"
Yes, SIR"
But the Secretary Of War, Mr.. Dick
the construction of the canal the de-
velopment of transportation bushes SIS
was very minor matter?'
That was his position"
Development Likely.
What would have been the effect
II the Government had extended the
operation of the Panama Steamship
Company to the Pacific side, pressed
a campaign for business?"
Or 1t would have shown a very
great development"
Senator Brandegee here took an in
tson; terest; II am surprised that you
building line of ships, and operating
them itself. he said, because before
the canal committee you testified that
you you were opposed to government
better to leave the business in pri-
vate hands. How about that"
-, oh. when l said that I meant I be-
neVed 1t but since my experiences try
ing ing to finance an independent line I
nave entirely changed my mind,' re-
pied Mr.. Baker, with a smile.
Chance of Competition.
Then Senator Brandegee wanted to
know whether, II the Government put
on big line of its own. private capital
would even go in and compete with the
Government.
Ah'' odhci ediu tltTe WOulQ OOuDtleSS
be private interests to compete with a
Government line. once 1t were demon
strated that the business was to be
had: "The British government prac-
tlcally controls the Cunard steamship
line" he said, furnishes the money to
build their fast boats, and substantially
controls them. Yet other companies, in
private hands, continue to compete with
the Cunard.'
Mr.. Brandegee next wanted more
'MnnaU truSfi'
Baker did not want to be very specific
In charging that actual Conspiracy ex-
listed, but again he expressed the belief
that transcontinental railway financial
influence had been exceedingly potent
Senator Brandegee wanted to know
whether the railroad financial influence
had terrorized investirs, or whether
people were severely afraid of a pioneer
enterprise IN an untried field. He
wanted to get a clean bill lof health
for the railroad financiers.
Brandigee Presses Point.
Couldn't you give one specific case
of a railroad man dissuading somebody
fro mtaking stock in your company%"
he asked.
Mr.. Baker would not name anybody
specifically; he did not charge con-
sptracy, but he pointed out that there
are some $4,000. 0O0, 900 of investment in
the railroads; about 10000, OOO, 900 in
volved In transcontinental, and he never
had located financial interest entirely
unmoved by consideration for these
vast railroad Investments.