Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1911-02-09
New Texas RaiIroads.

idilIDdu NOh7Ni uctioH III AoAv WIN -
good margin over the next highest
on the list. Washington with 462.
North Dakota 300 and Texas 7S9 mil
es of new road. But when the size
Of Texas and its immense territory
needing roalroads are considered
the showing is really small. The to-
tol of new track would about reach
from Beaumont to Eel Paso, that IS
all, while some fifty odd counties rich
in soil and undeveloped natural
wealth, are still without any rail-
road transportation. There should
have been three or four times as
much road built as the figures show.
and since there is no better field for
expansion in the country than Texts
offers, there must be good and strong
reasons for this condition. IL can
be charged to the people in sections
urgently needing railroad facilities,
for as a rule these places are clam
oring for such advantages and haze
shown a Willingness to do their part.
The railroads naturally want to ex-
tend to build up new traffic to in
crease their connections and length
en- their main lines to make longer
hauls and command a greater proper
ton of through freight and passen-
ger traffic Whatf then, is the mat
ter. and who has bee nstanding in
the way? The answer boiled down
to one word, seems to be politics
There has been such a consuming de-
sire among politicians for years past
to tickle the plain people" by lay
ing new burdens upon the roads in
the form of over assessment for tax
alton purposes and differentiation
for earning purposes. in the shape Of
enforced expenditure for new equip
ment devices and extra, or surplus
labor in the train and telegraph
service. and in other ways. that all
the Texas lines have seriously felt
extent as to make expansion almost
out of the question in many cases
where it was really desirable. The
political handicap has been aug
mented and emphasized by economic
causes. outside of politics. namely.
the rising price of all material and
supplies and corresponding increase
in operating expenses The railroad
commissions own ngures on railroad
conditions show that there has beer
a steady growth of the outgo and
like steady decline in net earn.
ings. which. if continued for a few
years more. will mean no net earn.
ings at all for the Texas lines and
consequently little or no yearly in
crease of mileage.
For the last fiscal year ending
with June. the operating income o.
Texas roads according to the com
missions own showing, increased A. -
per cent, but at the same time the op
Grating expenses increased 6.5S pc
cent. But MIR. Askew. formerly witt
the commission but now Statistical
for the leading roalroads, states th'
matter in more direct and under
standable way He shows that 70
the months of July. August. Septem
Der and October. 1909. for each $1O'
the roads took in they paid out il
operating expenses S69.9S. For tn
same months in 1910. for each 500
received they paid out S71.5O. Thi
is only loss of $l.52 on each 500
taken in, but on the total gross re
{ ceipts of all the railroads in Texas
/, makes a very large amount of mon
, ey. If the farmers and business me-
should find their taxes increasing a
a rate proportionate to this falling
off in the available funds of the rail
, roads. would there not be a state
r wide cutlery, against hard times an
e wrongheaded politics? Some of tn
d plain people" in very limited SCI
= lions of Texas that have all the raj
! roads specially needed. may find ia
= puDiiS poiicy "hich mas piouuce'
= these conditions satisfactory; bl
/ what about the many thousands j
4 many places that have no roads q
all and a lessening prospect of sc
ting them? Are they ready and wi
a ling TO enter upon the new pear wit
l. vote of thanks to the anti-railroa
u politicians for their past services an
= to encourage them on in the san
\ kind of nffnr-ta TnrIninI.. b. nnr,,- 1