The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-10-31
qua RAILROAD SITUATION

,ha Railway Age-Gazette, says that
nan one gets to be old the blood ves-
4 lose their elasticity-they clog,
pressure becomes dangerous, and
person finally dies.
ua likens the railroads of thi
untry 10 the arteries and the tra'
N It's blood. The business of q
tire country is growing in lee
4 hounds, and tn erailroads FIND {,
1possible to keep pace with
Iormous growth. Indeed, the :
ads are scarcely growing at |.
ree OF the great western sys IS
ye already gone into the ham of
eelvers. The railroads need IRE
,es. more branches, more to- ks,
ore terminals, more cars, me en-
nes--more everything.
Why are the managers not ting
I'm ordinary business saga $ by
ttlng themselves in position . han.
this enormously increas !. bust
ss?
Al. there's the rub-ther' han
tale.
Prices OF supplies have advf
The railroads must pa ut T. e
.oney, enormously more, - g "
Xlng they need The ave. - ref It's
We changed scarcely { al ace
DO. while the purchas po' of
.oney has declined at ast per
Int The yardstick is trte 9.
As all commodities ,e en- in
zee. the wages of ra .ay -. ployes
We increased, and n = c.. nue. to
70. The employees list paid
ough to support ms IS and
#miiles in some de - :, comfort.
cording 20 the ST sti>' furnished
Mr.. Lee the revei = IL increas-
about Ga per cen vi the oper-
lng expenses hay n ased more
||an Is per cent. III tendency of
one is still up & I'D the other
onward.
The heavy hand station. state
ID federal. is lal CT the railroads
u IN stunning for s.. | the demands
NJ becoming M A:.d more exact.
They are stoned to death
NJ statutes. . are being Grip
ID by taxation The taxes now
Inount to NOR IA s12O,OOO,O0O an,
ally. The !. dment has shorn
y owners D. he privileges, and
NJ assumed ~ of the responsible
- The 81, .ment, through the
hie and e. -. railway commits
bns and G. a., says to them Dol"
ID they mu oey. The money some
&w mus, b ,rthcoming. The agents
Il the gov ,lent, state and federal,
0 a rule -, no railway experience,
d. are s. led and made managers
these aat business concerns be-
|use OF ar political activity.
.There steady progress In the
|rectlon passenger and freight
~ rec ION, and an enormous in
base IA he number of railway en-
.oyes. Two men formerly did more
bril- than three men now perform
births are provided for favorites, and
NJ end Is not yet.
Mr.. Lee AYERS that the railroads OF
Il country are being made a play
Ling. They may be likened to a
me of football, and are being kick
Wabout mercilessly by courts, Jul
and commissions state and fed
#al, ~ the legislatures of the states
Ia tie congress OF the nation. The
rdicts for personal injuries have
Down 20 be astounding, and the
bedding OF railroad companies is now
f recognized industry, and is pursued
lore consistently and profitably than
~ old.time physicians formerly bled
pr patients.
4 What Is to be the outcome?
Mohied men no longer hunger for
Hllroad investments. The roads are
hding CT impossible to sell their
Jocks and bonds. II is becoming i'm
pssible for them to borrow money to
bake the necessary improvements
pa many of them are living from
and to mouth on short term notes.
stoned TO death by statutes, stran-
led By taxation. held up by the courts
! II overmken by bandits and made
stand and dellvens the cry is,
What's 10 be doneg,"
Mr., Lee seems to think that their
estlny Is flxed@4that governmental
ownership Is written in very large let
ers, which, while 1t means good
mes for the politicians and grafters,
= the nation as whole he thinks 1t
pm be deplorable.
Breakers and shifting sands con-
font us ON all sides, like the musket'