The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-14

Haven accomplished their responsible
ties lightly They failed to realize that
their names gave confidence to the pub
lie and their connection with the cor
poration led the people to invest.
when these directors were negligent
and serious losses resulted therefrom
they were guilty Of a grave dereliction
Of duty and a breach of trust that was
morally wrong and criminal in It's fruits
Directors should be made individ-
ualy liable to civil and criminal laws
for the manner in which they discharge
their trust. corporation can be no bet
ter or worse than those who operate 1t.
at should he just as grave n crime to
plumber stockholders or the public
through a railroad corporation as II is TO
personally rob an individual
"The nsuring OF honesty throughout
the management Of the great railroads
r. a most important question before the
people to-day and only when through
exposure Of wrongdoing and an awak
ened public conscience. coupled with
effective laws. this result Is produced
may railroadIng be placed upon the high
level 1t should occupy.
1.-THE revelations IN this record make
IL essential for the welfare of the nation
that the reckless and profiigate finan-
clering which has blighted this railroad
system he ended and until this Is fully
done there will he no assurance that the
story OF tho New Haven will not he told
again, with the stockholders of some
other railroad system az the victims"
One bright Ray.
The report contains one bright ray
however. for the future II says:
1.-THE splendid property Of The New Ha-
ven railroad itself will he called upon for
many n year to make up the drain upon
its resources resulting from the unpar-
donable folly Of the transactions outside
the proper field in which Its stock
holders supposed their money was in
vested. But honesty and efficiency Of
management Of this property of tho rail-
Ibhu blllN VIII undoubtedly III iliub ~
store It's former standing"
The commission characterizes the
New Haven monopoly as thoroughly
corrupt. II declares:
This investigation has demonstrated
that the monopoly theory Of those con-
trolling the New Haven was unsound
and mlschlovous In It's effects. To
achieve such monopoly meant The reck-
less and scandalous acceptance Of money;
II meant the attempt to control public
opinion; corruption of government:
the attempt 10 pervert the political and
economic instincts OF the people in in
solent defiance Of law.
Through exposure OF tho methods
Of this monopoly the visible govern |
ment which has gone far in it's efforts
TO dominate New England has been
made visible.
"It has been clearly proved how
public opinion was distorted; how off, |,
Gals who were needed and who could |
be bought were bought; how news !
papers that could he subsidized were
subsidized how n college professor and
publicists secretly accepted money from ,
the New Haven while masking as a rep |
resentative of a great American univer-
sity and as the guardians OF the inter-
ests OF the people: how AGENCIES Of in
formation to the public were prostituted .
wherever they could he prosttuted in .
order to carry out a scheme OF private
transportation monopoly imperial in its
scope"