Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-17
On The Wrong Foot.

vi AhV WIRING EUoNs
A circular address OF greeting and
admonltion TO the officers. agents and
employees OF the Missouri Pacific just
issued by the new president. q. r.
Bush, reflects peculiarly confused
idea Of the relation OF the railroads to
the public. On the whole the saluta-
tory is replete with good advice.
dwelling on the need Of loyalty on the
part ct every employe high or low.
the demand for considerable and
courteous treatment of patrons, APP
holders and their right to earnings
that VIII enable them to reap divi-
donds. President Bush, however, gets
off on the wrong foot, and invites
dissent, where he intimates that the
people served are under obligations to
the railroad owners that they cannot
hope to repoy. This is what he says
on this point:
There are no good reasons for the I'M
friendly feeling shown to railroads or why
burdens and deprive them OF their just
dues. Considering what railroads have
done through investment Of private capital,
In upbuilding and developing the country.
In creating It's wealth. in improving the
conditions OF living and in uplifting the peo-
pie and adding to all the conveniences and
comforts Of life. It would seem that ordi-
nary common gratitude would be awak-
ened in the people who share these bless
ings and as a result that a more enlight-
ened and Just public sentiment would pre-
vail toward them. The valuable contrfbu-
ton which they are daily making to civil
izatlon Justly entities them TO farer and
more liberal treatment.
We are free to admit that there are
fewer reosone for unfriendly feeling
to railroads than there used to be,
but the railroad man who persuades
himself that there never were good
reasons tor unfriendly feeling is
simply self-deluded. With the courts
10 resort to, so far as we know Of the
railroads have had to submit to no
legislation, in this state at least, i'm
posing unfair burdens or depriving
them of their just dues. In fact. the
railroads have managed to do toler-
ably we'll, and in confidential circles
their spokesman admit they have
gotten off much easier than they had
right to expect.
But the suggestion that the people
out OF common gratitude" should sit
idly by and let the railroads pursue
their course of favoritism, discrimi
nation and excessive charges, arbitrary
disregard of public rights, interfer-
ence with politics and manipulation
OF lawmakers, rather crowds the
limit II 1t comes to a question of
gratitude, another side will call for
attention. Gratitude on the part of
the railroads for the privileges and
immunities so lavishly granted to
them. the right of eminent domain,
the subsidies In money and land, the
long years of tax exemption, the
license to exchange watered stock for
money, should awaken sentiments of
appreciation that would reciprocate
favors rather than deny the debt alto
gether. sa
We expect great deal from the
new head of the Missouri Pacific
in the way of rehabilitating the road
and strengthening It in public favor
But the first lesson he has to learn,
according to our way of thinking, is
that the railroad is not a charity nor
philanthropy, but business under
taking, that It is entitled to fair treat
ment as It deserves II, and it will
deserve It only by according fair
treatment to the public.