Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-23
DEFENDS RAILROADS AGAINST
PREJUDICE AND PESSIN1ISM
Jerseyman Says Transportation Corporations Are Dumping
Block for Political Demagogues and Eccen-
trio Legislators"

/ ty gates, flagman or other recognized
| system of caution or alarm. Just
| imagine the enormous amount of
money that the railroads would have
to spend to comply with the require
ments of only this one bill.
If all laws passed We're absolute
| ly essential for the welfare of the
| public, would 1t not have been more
, advisable to have had them cover
| period of some years? In this way,
each in turn could become effective,
| when the one first put into force had
accomplished what 1t was created so
to do. This kind of arrangement
would permit the railroads to read
just their financial affairs so as to
conform with the requirements Of
such laws, os they were put into OPP
Grafton.
There are other matters that enter
! into increased expenses that perhaps
have been overlooked by a great
many while discussing this subject.
The increased cost price of material
and the inspection Of locomotive
boilers are both very large items.
Also, the catastrophe that occurred
In the shape of floods in the West
a short time ago. along with the
great blizzard of last month, that
tore away thousands of miles of wire
and done other great damage, which
necessltated the outlay of very great
expense to put the roads in shape
again.
The conglomerate laws in conjunc-
ton with the numerous Superfluous
investigating committees have i'm
posed extraordinary burdens upon the
railroads., and necessarily great ex-
pense. Many of us were amazed when
.F,-rt hut
it does not compare with "frenzied
legislation and frenzied regulation"
What could amaze you more than to
note the State legislatures recklessly
increasing the expenses of the rail-
roads, while the Interstate Commerce
Commission controls the revenue of
such corporations? The authority
that controls the revenue should con-
troll the expenses, or vice versa. How
ever, between them they have to a
great extent forced up the expenses
at faster ratio than the increase has
been in the revenue, and the expenses
have now reached the point where
profit is almost eliminated, and re-
trenchment has taken such hold that
employees, officials and stockholders
are not only dissatisfied, but dis
heartened.
The railroads have practically only
one source of revenue, and that is
obtained through the charges for the
carrying of passengers and freight
This revenue cannot be increased, as
the rates cannot be changed without
the authority and approval of the In
terstate Commerce Commission. This
commission has kept the rates sta
tionary while the Incorporate legis-
latures have been sending the ex-
.Ix ht.rt, ;nI,
neous from everyf business stand
point, and done great injustice to
these gigantic indispensable institu-
tionS.
IL the rates were of a flexible char
acter they could be adjusted to con-
form to the variable conditions in the
different States, and this would per-
nit the railroads to procure sufficient
revenue at all times, and would pre-
vent Interruptions with the business
of the country.
It appears that the State legislators
and the Interstate Commerce Com
mission have been so seriously af-
| fected with railroad strangleitis'
| they have become delirious. 1t would
seem these public servants are so
we'll supplied with this worlds goods
| they have not only the necessaries of
| life, but the comfort of luxurious
apartments, with pleasant environ
ment, which has so dulled their sense
of comprehension that they could not
anticipate or realize the privation and
stings of hunger that is now being
suffered by the families OF the work
ingmen throughout the land; while
they may feel proud to be honored
with the credit of being responsible
for throwing tens of thousands of
| railroad employees out of employ
ment; while many more thousands
are put on shorter working hours, and
thousands of other workmen en-
ployed by different concerns. whose
employment indirectly depended upon
the railroad business, are jobless upon
our streets, and all business chan
nels are being clogged.
If the Incorporate legislation and
restrictions are not corrected the ul-
innate will be. the government will
/ have to take over the railroads and