The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-21

The Railroads and the Public


No matter how much regulating the
railroads may have needed in the
years past, some of the legislation in
different parts of the country was too
drastic. There was much railroad
batting on the part of politicians, and
certain business organizations were
unfair in their attitude to the trans
portation companies.
One of the best things that could
be said of the interstate commerce
commissions decision authorizing the
eastern carriers to advance their
freight rates was that it showed
marked change in governmental policy
at Washington Only a few months
ago the interstate commerce commits
sion decided adversely on the petition
of the carriers operating east of the
Pittsburg- Buffalo line-the carriers of
the largest volume of traffic in this
country.
But President Wilson has been
speaking out plainly in favor of
friendly relations with "big business"
He has received by appointment prom
inent financiers and manufacturers.
And while not yielding any of his
party principles for which he had been
contending, he wished the business
world to feel that he was in no wise
antagonistic, but that on the other
hand he wanted to see business helped.
What the President said and what he
did made an impression on the inter-
state commerce commission, and it did
not hesitate to reopen the rate case
and the result has spread optimism
far and wide.
When the railroads fail to prosper
the sections through which they pass
cannot prosper. AS John Howe Pey-
ton, president of the Nashville, Chat
tanooga and st. Louis railway, truly
said, in recent signed article in the
Southern Lumberman, entitled "Rela-
ton of Railroads to Southern Prog
ress:"
THE growth and development of
any section depends more largely upon
Its transportation facilities than upon
any other factor 1t ma tiers not how
fertile the soil or how rich in min
eral or timbered wealth the absence
of adequate means for marketing the
products of the labor of the inhab-
1tants or such a section will retard
It's development. Throughout the
known history of the human race the
wealth and material prosperity of
man has ever been advanced or re-
tarded In proportion to his facilities
for marketing the products of his la
Dor and exchanging them for the
products of the labor of other men,
1t is gratifying to note that
there is growing public sentiment
throughout the country, for fair play
and just dealing with railroads. Very
many people, who have hitherto been
led by ax-grinding politicians to be-
leve that railroads are monsters of
extortion having no regard for pri-
waite or public rights, are realizing
the gross injustice of such a prejudi-
cial view. They seeing the alb
surdity of charging the transportation
lines with the purpose and policy of
robbing the people and the sections
upon whose patronage and prosperity
these railroads are dependent for their
own success and prosperity"
The recent decision Of the interstate
commerce commission has already had
telling effect on business circles. All
the railroad officials that commented
on the freight rate advance express
qualification of course, but some were
more enthusiastic than others. Presi-
dent L. F. Loree of the Delaware and
Hudson said that while the rate in
crease would relieve the distress of
the railroads by making up a deficit
in their earnings he did not believe it
would give the railroads any additional
purchasing power. But Mr.. Loree is
mistaken. Railroad credit has been
strengthened already and within the
next few weeks companies that were
not able to negotiate the sale of Sc
curities for expansion and betterment
will be able to do so.
Railroad managers and railroad