Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26
LIBERTY TO PERFECT TALK OF RAILWAYS
Theme of Representative VIC Washington Traffic CIuben
tor Murdoch of Kansas. Gather at Banquet.
BEFORE SCOTCH SOCIETY MANY SPEECHES MADE
Other Addresses Banquet John Sharp Williams Bame
Of st. Andrews in Force.
TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT TAFT ROADS ARE NOT PERFECT
Birthday-Grand March Is Led Systems
by Bagpiper. Eshed Cheapest Rates
Washington Traffic CIubmen
Gather at Banquet.
MANY SPEECHES MADE
John Sharp Williams Blames Laws
in Force.
ROADS ARE NOT PERFECT
But Mississippi Senator Declares
American Systems Have Estab-
lished Cheapest Rates.

A train on the single-track, narrow
gauge line of the Washington Traffic
Club railway. encircling the guest table
in the banquet room Of the Raleigh Ho-
tel, where the annual banquet of the or
ganization was held last night, carried
dispatches between stations. seats OF the
guests of the evening. which ordered the
DESIGNATED guests to report the reasons
they were present :.
A conductor, brakeman and porter. all
in one with lantern. flag, whistle ana
bell, found so much to do. carrying dis
patches, tagging the train and calling
stations. that he threatened to s'r'ke
The strike was postponed, however.
The favors Of the occasion were LOT
each guest a giant potato from the iar
west, a pack OF playing caruS' .n,y
American flag, a memorandum oooh aAu
some example in miniature OF d railway
device.
Railway Service Not Perfect.
Senator John Sharp Williams. the
principal speaker of the evening, was In
happy vein, and caustically commented
on assertions made by those who had
gone before in the speech-making.
Speaking seriously for a few moments.
he told the traffic men that the American
railway service is not perfect, is not the
best in the world, and that the law or
Congress which allows the railways to
put water traffic out of. business by COM
petition on long hauls made up by rates
on short hauls is not just, and that the
proper relationship between the people
and the railways will not be established
until the railways are denied the right
to charge a higher rate for snort maui
than for a long haul.
On the whS1e he said, the railways
of America have done we'll They nave
established the cheapest railway rates
in the world. although in Great Britain
the rates include taking the goods from
the shop of the shipper and delivering
at the shop of the consignee. His quar-
rel with railways, he said, was on the
score of accidents, quoting statistics to
demonstrate that the casualties are
fifty times those of Great Britain.
Deploring the great sacrifice to speed
made in the operation of American rail-
ways, he urged Improvement of road
ways in the interest Of safety.
Three Words in the Law.
To explain the absence Of traffic by
water on the Mississippi river, called to
attention by previous speaker, Senator
Williams stated that the reason was
found in the act Of Congress in the three
words, under similar conditions" ap-
pended to the clause prohibiting greater
charge for a short haul than for long
haul. This allowed competition with
water traffic, and the difference made up
by excessive charges on local freight
Gorge p. James. president OF the Or
gauization, was POSTMASTER Of the even
ing. William Clabaugh, George O'Connor
and Arthur Pierce entertained with
songs.
Odell s. Smith. secretary-treasurer OF
the Norfolk and Washington Steamboat
Company, was the frst speaker. ne urs
ed the young men to take advantage OF
opportunity, advising them that the won
derful present-day developments OF the
RAILWAYS were less than century oid.
and indicating that it would be beyond
comprehension within the next twenty
wears, the period Of their activities. He
impressed upon them the propr1ety OF
high ideals to guide their endeavors.
Lauds Senator Williams.
Representative Ezekiel S. Gambler. IT.,
of Mississippi lauded Senator Williams,
declared home life the great bulwark OF
civilization praised Davis, Lee and Lin
coin as men whose principles would be
the guide of the nation. If over regula-
ton of railway traffic has resulted in a
shortage Of cars to carry the products OF
the country, he favored less r1elo POI,
icy that would not interfere WIFI hduohdi
development.
Commissioner Cuno Fl. Rudolph told a
few stories. Charles A. LutZ Of the inter-
state commerce commission also spoke
briefly.
Representative Philip l.. Campbell of
Kansas gave his opinion that the water
traffic of the nation was a negligible
quantity in competition with the rail-
ways, and that the shipper and con-
sumner wanted his shipments delivered
quickly without regard to expense He
told the railway men If they wanted to
succeed to hurry freight from shipper to
destination was the most important part
of the railway business.
Present at Banquet.
Those present were: George P. James,
president; w. w. Bowie, vice president;