Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-11-17

bonds bear : per and q per cent. and a
Jew Z per cent interest; therefore. under
TIE proposed system there would cycntu-
ally be q saving To the railroads OF ap-
proNimatcly S100. 000. 0no 4 year in inter-
est alone. TIN, j. on the assumption that
such n government railroad bond. bein. "a
first hen. would ~ attractive ~ banker,
and investors n the present 2 per cent
government Panama canal bonds. III IN
this way the railroads ~ the coantry can
save 800. COOS 600 q year m the item Of IN
%terest. under my estimate. u would insure
the government receiving - iiS share nm
der the proposed co-partner-hip arrange
ment, probably from Sl5,000,000 a. So
100000 a year.
] have nd ~queami-hneSs about govern
ment ownership Of railroads. II j. merely
a question Of what i the best thing q" ia
10 arrive az = solution that viii give the
best and most economic service, and thus
establish the most profitable and ~atl~fnc-
tory relation, between the public and the
railroads. | feel confident that the own
err Of railroad, would b. willing ID sell IN
the government al a reasonable price, hut
even 50 the government will be reluctant
to undertake the business Of operating
properties whose revenues are about three
times the present income 81 the govern
mcnt through taxation.
favor the use Of the governments pro
posed share Of railroad profits for the up
keep of country roads. United special fed
cral charters the people, share could b.
deposited with the treasurer Of the United
States. and through HIM di~-tribulsl to
the states IN proportion a. the mileage If
railroad in each state. for the upkccp OF
the wagon roads. The government could
not eXpcnd it, share ~ the profits with
greater benefit e. the public, especially
The farming Interests. favor such 4 plan
because 1t l. simple. and requires no in
ve~tmcnt by the government.
In 4 remarkable degree The dirt roads
are taking the place 81 Steel rail feeders
tn reason ~ their improvements and rapid
extension INTO farming and mining dis
%iricts, heretofore unavailable. on account
Of impossible road~. thus avoiding III man,
cases the necessity for the construction
Of short feeder lines III the future.
We have 1000. 900 miles al public roads.
Of which over 900. 900 mics are post
roads. ~ the eastern states the average
cost 10 improve public roads - about
$4,000 per mile. Ia the middle west from
$4,000 a. $500 per mile. The cost III
maintenance OF public road, in eastern
states IL gwen al $3.50 a. ~G1O per mile:
IL the central STATES about 800 per mile.
The total interest un county and state
bond. and Ill" cost ~ maintenance. which
= pald by direct lax. j. approximately
] uu.hun.unu \ wear. aud this tax ~ IN
crea~ing yearly. IN the last two years the
bonds issued aud authorized ior road pur-
pu~e~ amounted ~ more than ~ljO.OOU.-
600. and m the course Of a very few years.
tine interest nn uli hund- ISSUED for public
highway purposes. plus the cost ~ main
%tcnance. viii amount go $4,000 900 an
nuuilN. But these improvements arc 60
~ential. ANY section 81 this country which
m denied daily access to the markets hy
reason W. poor country roads. and swollen
brid-cic~~ ~trcasn~. i a. far hchind the
times An \ railroad with worn ont as
pound rails, rotten ties and bridges that
wash ont every time II rains.
Thus favor thc creation NJ Y ro-part-
ucr-lup profits 90 4 fund 10 be- applied 10
urirdN the expense ~ country roads.
thereby lr>~enlng taxation. and opening ar
a'N natural feeders 10 every railroad m
ihc country. Federal assistance ~ Tho
railroads IN borrowing money ~ 4 low rate
would avoid = tremendous economic waste.
l"ur very truly.
Il. /. YOAKUM.
IT, Judge Jud~on 4. Clements. Interstate
Commerce Commissioner. Washington.
ID q \pVgtuhst IL IalI