Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-11-28
FAIR PLAY FOR RAILROADS
An Editorial from the Baltimore
American of October 10

Transportation lies at the base of the
nations activities and comes nearer to
being the gauge of the country's pros
perty than any other single factor.
Whatever affects the interests Of the rail-
roads is, therefore something vitality close
to the interests of the people. The Inter-
state Commerce Commission holds re-
lation to the welfare of the country that
goes beyond the influence that can be ex-
erted by the courts themselves. Yet the
public does not concern itself nearly SO
much about the decisions Of the commits
sion as it does in the industrial decision of
the bench. The railroads have been seek
ing for some years back to secure miti-
CATION of the burden they are bearing be-
cause Of increased cost of the materials
and constant jacking up of wages upon
the one hand and the straitjacket of in
senger fares upon the other. The most
experienced railroad men in the country
are predicting an outcome OF the situation
in way that would be disastrous to the
public welfare unless some measure of
relief may be found. Ever since the
panic of 1907 the railroads have been
under the burden of ever-increasing wage
demands and added costs, and yet they
have been debarred from making advance
in rates. The country has experienced
great prosperity. but the railroads have
been kept out from the promised land
The time is at hand when the roads will
ask to have rates advanced to Offset the
additional burdens they bear and to en-
able them to expand in behest to the
demands of traffic to keep up their rolling
stock and to generally maintain their
equipment.
The interplay of interest between a
large number of industries and the rail
roads carries the reflex of the conditions
into the homes of innumerable workers of
the land. The people are vitality affect
ed thereby. Tne roads have had to ex-
pand; they have had to spend more than
their earnings. This is situation too full
of critical significance to be lost upon the
minds of thoughtful persons. Not only do
stock rise. but they are falling, and multi
itudes of modest stockholders who de-
pend upon their railroad holdings fer
their support are seriously affected there
by. As go the railroads SO goes the
country. The food or ebb tide of their
prosperity marks the food or ebb tide of
the country's welfare. Their protection
from irksome and impossible burdens is,
therefore, in the interest of millions OF
workers and of millions OF others who are
not directly related to the industries
Immediately involved in the prosperity of
the railroads,
1t is not to be supposed that the Inter
state Commerce Commission in its eager
ness to reflect popular prejudice against
an advance in the earning capacity of the
roads through increase of rates would
push any of them into bankruptcy, and
yet there is reason to apprehend that the
matter of an increase IN rates must be
look ed at with absolute frankness or the
consequences will prove most serious to
the country.
Batting railroads is barbarous sport
of the past, and when the roads present
their demands the Interstate Commerce
Commission is bound to regard them in
the broadest manner as rejecting the
interests of the country and, therefore.
not to be passed upon in narrow spirit
Call nnd see the finest line of
| China>snre ever brought To the