Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-28
Interest in Railroad Rates.

For one thing traders and the public in
general begin to turn intensified atten-
ton on the interstate commerce commits
sion with relation to the impending action
on railroad rates. That issue is In a
stock market sense. quite as important as
either a new tariff schedule or a new cur
rency law. and in a larger sense vastly
more So It is an open secret that the
commissioners keep in vigilant touch with
popular sentiment on vital issues and do
not willfully fly in it's opposition to pro-
nounced feeling.
It Is the assumption Of the railroads
of their plea and grant the per cent
raise asked for. Sentiment in all quar-
tiers is more friendly than it was three
and a half years ago. and 1t Is hoped by
the carriers that in allowing the increased
rate the justice of the argument will be
recognized. Newspapers have almost
unanimously changed front, great writer's
a square DEAL" commercial bodies and
shippers in nearly all large cities have
expressed themselves In favor of granting
the 5 per cent advance asked for The
transformation In sentiment has been
marvellous.
Every one Of the fifty-two petitioning
railroads has compiled mass Of data
conviction is strong that the facts in sup
port of the case will be invincible. and
that the commission will be satisfied Of
the absolute merit of the application. OF
greater value to the railroads than the
granting of the right to collect $4,000. 900
more per year In freight tolls about half
the compulsory increase In wages) would
be the favorable impression upon the pub
lie mind. Visible proof would be fur
nished that a radical change In sentiment
had been wrought and that the long en-.
during Ill feeling between the railroads
and the people was giving place to new
born cordially Of a most enduring char
acter. The establishment of such new re-
lations would be testimony of fraternal
self interests and would naturally con-
tribute to restoration of confidence on,
above and under the surface. 1t would
be more valuable to the development and
maintenance of national prosperity than
1000 900, 600 bushel corn crop. AS a
bull card in the stock market and an In
centive to bullish activity in all quarters
1t would be world beaten. That is the
issue that now confronts Wall street and
the country at large. 1t will work like
benediction on a devout congressman.
dead Horses" Unpopular.
The Reid-Moore properties have been
grievously under the hammer. especially
Can and the Rock Island issues and peo-
pie are wondering why. The theory pre-
walls that d. G. Reid and his associates
have been preparing for months to with
draw from the western railroad. 1t has
been a drag on their hands latterly, and
excepting for an occasional side play In
the stock market it has been a dead
horse
Now, dead horses are not hot favorites
with either Dan" Reid or his surviving
active partner. Judge w. H. Moore. In
organizing and promoting their Rock Is
land enterprise they made a spectacular
cleanup and strengthened an already es-
tablished reputation as monumental plung-
ers. From their earliest experience in in
dustrial organization they had enjoyed
the hysterical action of a series of re-
markable speculative campaigns in indus
trials, four of their creations going into
the steel trust. The liquidation of trust
holdings of the list Of big insiders was
crazy popular tribute to the standing of
Americas greatest financier and market
power, and netted the steel crowd" any
where from $500, 00O. 900 up-many well in
formed men put 1t as high as $l.O00.-
100000.
The Reid-Leeds- Moore quartet" had