The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-15
New Relationship of Railroads
and People.
Public in Mood to See Other Side
of Question.
SANTA FE'S PROGRESS,
Has Done Much to Cultivate
Peoples Wants.
Other Items of General Inter-
est in Traffic World.

1.-THE New Relationship of the Rail
roads and the People" is the subject
Of an article in the Kansas City Star.
LAS the railroads are being fair with
the people," says the Star. ''the people
are being fair with the railroads. Mr..
Average Citizen does not forget. 1t
isn't as easy now for a cheap politician
to inaugurate legislation for the pur-
pose of holding up the railroads as 1t
used to be. The people are in mood
to see the railroads side of the argu-
naent. Mr.. Average Citizen desires fa1r
treatment all around. Note the alb
sence of violent railroad legislation IN
the different state assemblies, Why?
practically all the railroads have
abandoned the old policy of the public
be damned They are warming up to
MIR. Average Citizen. In Iowa, Kan
sas, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma,
Colorado-in fact. all over the country
the railroads run special trains in or
der to give the agricultural colleges
chance to deliver messages to the farm
ers The railroads not only furnish the
trains at a cost of more than thou
sand dollars a week, but they provide
diner and sleeper for the college pro-
fessors and feed for the demonstration
stock in the cars.
For these special trains the railroads
get out the advertising and spend lot
of money in order to give the farmer
the benefit of improved farming meth
DDS. Often the railroads get up spec
ial trains on their own account when
they believe they can be of assistance
to the farmer.
1.-THE Santa Fe is credited by many
as being the pioneer in the campaign
of cultivating Mr.. Average Citizen.
Perhaps this is the reason the santa
Fe organization along this line has
reached such advanced stages. The
Santa Fe has several departments de-
voted solely to the interests of COM
n1unities along its lines. These depart
ments have nothing to do with secur-
ing business for the road.
eff a farmer wants to locate some
where along it's lines, there is a de-
partment which will take care OF him
without charge. The Santa Fe has at
present in it's employ half a dozen ex-
pert agrieulturists investigating crop
possibilities in New Mexico with view
to giving advice to those who want to
locate there.
Another department of the Santa Fe
is known as the publicity department.
Suppose a country paper prints para
graph saying that the conditions
around the depot are abominable ana
that a new walk ought to be put in.
The clipping is sent to the official in
charge. Thereupon a man HES him
self on the next train to the town from
whence comes the complaint and looks
up the thing. If the conditions prove
to be bad new walk is put IN ana
the editor who printed the paragraph IS
thanked for calling the roads attention
to the matter. If paragraph is print
ed in a newspaper assailng the road,
the matter is looked up and respectful
reply is offered in the columns of the
same paper. When the road is wrong
it promptly tries to remedy the trou-
bile.
1.-THE Santa Fe brass collars go out
regularly on trips to meet the people.
EVERY county over a large part of its
lines in the west is visited twice a
year for the purpose of discussing n1u-
tual improvements and differences be-
tween the road and its patrons.
Patrons are invited to call on the
Santa F'e general manager at his head
quarters any time to discuss griev-
ances or better methods for railroad or
community. All along the line the de-
sire of the road to please it's patrons
IS made a feature. The Santa Fe is
helping to build up the towns IS we'll
as the farming communities. working
with local Commercial clubs to secure
factories and other enterprises.
$50 the new railroad policy that is
making progress is the one which
treats the good will of Mr.. Average
Citizen as an asset and which works
with him for the welfare of himself
and his community"