Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-12-31
BY WILLIAM R. HEARST.

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The railroads are before the Inter
state Commerce commission asking for
permission to raise dates on the plea
that they need the money.
The only question which the Inter
state commerce commission ought to
consider is not whether the railroads
need the money, but whether they de-
serve the money.
The railroads Of this country have had
the most splendid inheritance Of wealth
and opportunity that any institution
has ever had in the history of the world.
If they have squandered their wealth
and abused their opportunities it is
not the duty or the obligation Of the
United States to compensate them for
their loss or reward them for their mis-
deeds.
The railroads are the great public SER
vice corporations Of the country. They
should render such public service as
would secure for them the grateful ap-
probation of the people. Yet there are
perhaps no institutions in the country
which are 50 generally and so justly
hated.
The railroads have proceeded upon the
maxims of two great masters Of rail
road interests the elder Vanderbilt,
whose motto was: "The public be
damned, F" and Coils P. Huntington,
whose slogan was; GAN the traffic
will bear"
The railroads proceeding upon these
principles have not only oppressed the
public, but outraged the public until
they have aroused bitter resentment
upon the part of the public to right the
wrong of railroad behavior
There is no disposition on the part
of the public to persecute the railroads
but there is determination no longer
TO give the railroads more than they
justly deserve, no longer to allow them
TO steal from the public preserves or
pilfer from the people IS purses.
There is determination no longer to
allow them to overcapitalize in reck
less speculation and then compel the
country to pay the interest on their
Overcapitalization,
The people have definitely decided
no longer to allow the railroads to make
the public pay both the price Of mon
opoly and the penalty of monopoly,
The railroads have squandered their
substance in reckless speculation and
overcapitalization, in the election Of
complaisant public officials and the
corruption Of legislatures, in the ere
alton of illegal and oppressive monop-
olies.
II is not the part of the people to
suffer under the burden of these out
rageous conditions and at the same time
20 pay the expenses incidental to their
formation and maintenance.
There are no more fatted calves to
be killed for the prodigal railroads.
Veal is too expensive, the cost Of liv.
ing is too high, the timos are too hard
the fault for their lack of prosperity is
too obviously attributed to the persist
ent wrongdoing Of the railroads them.
selves.
The New York Central wilfully and
wantonly, continually and calculatiugly
dcfics public sentiment, outrages the
publics rights aud violates the peo
plo's laws. Shall it be rewarded for
It's insolcnce and compensated for its
Illegal actsl
Tho New York Central is habitally
hailed into court to answer for its in
territorial violation Of the statutes
against rebating aud its Illegal distinc,
tions and Determinations between fav.
ored shippers,
Shall IL be endowed with an increase
Of income so that it may pay its fines
and show a profit in It's Illegal thans-
actions-so that it may continue to OPP
press the public, encouraged by this
spontaneous expression Of public appro.
valf
Shall the New York and New Haven
which commits manslmghter as an