Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-12-22
SENATOR MARITIME
TAKES ISSUE WITH
PR. R. SOLICITOR
U. S. Representative and Rail
poad Counsel Address Forest
Hill Mems Club.

roads we're advocated by George
Stuart Patterson, Of Philadelphia
general solicitor OF the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, at the annual
banquet Of the Mems Club Of the For
est Hin Presbyterian Church, held
last night in the church assembly
hall. Ladies night" was combined
with the AFFAIR and more than 200
men and women we're present.
United States Senator James Y.
MARITIME. Of Plainheld. responded TO
the toast "Our Country" ana Incl
dentally took issue with Mr.. Patter-
son by insisting that government
ownership of railroads would be a
GOOD thing for the country. Building
FOR Peace" was the subject OF an I'D
dress made by Mrs, Alice Thatcher
Post, OF Washington. wife Of Assist
ant Secretary of Labor Post. simon
p. Northrup, president of the ciuD,
acted as POSTMASTER.
Mr.. Patterson declared that the
per cent. increase IN freight rates
granted recently by the Interstate
Commerce. Commission was only oO
per cent. of the amount asked. He
criticised the present system OF gov
eminent regulation Of railroads, anu
said this system was heading toward
government ownership, because pri-
vate capital cannot be induced to in
vest further in the roads. The lawyer
pointed out that government owner
ship of railroads had proved failure
Ia France, Italy, Switzerland ana
other countries where It had been
tried. ana a trip on any of these roads
would convince anyone OF the failure.
Mr. Patterson continued:
"The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion, in its recent opinion IN the sd-
vance rate case, recognizes:
"That the net operating income OF
the Eastern railroads ia less than IS
demanded in the interests of the gen.
eral public.
THAT the public interests will not
permit an undue restriction in main
tenance Of way and equipment ex-
Denditures as a means OF augmenting
such net operating income.
THAT. on the contrary, the public
interests require that the carriers
needs for additional revenue shall be
te ken care OF by the increase of GER
Jain freight rates. and by the adoption
of the means for new revenue sug-
gested by the commission in its
original report. namely, by raising
low freight rates, and by imposing
new or additional charges for special
privileges. such as storage, refrigera-
tion. and in other ways
This clear recognition of the close
relation between the needs Of the
carriers and the public interests
marks the commencement of a con-
structfve policy of governmental
regulation.
Capital Of RAILROADS..
THE capital of the railroads Of this
country amounts to approximately
fifteen billions, three hundred and
thirty million dollars, and Is owned
by individuals, trust estates. savings
banks with their ten million de-
Dositors, and life insurance CON-
panies with their thirty million policy
holders The number Of railroad en-
pIoyes Is one million, eight hundred
thousand. and their payroll for the
year ending June 50, 1913, was s1,373,-
600 600.
Sound public policy demands that
there shall be governmental regula-
ton Of railroads, and the wisest and
only effective method OF regulation IS
through a commission composed OF
men Of adequate training. under a
tenure of office sufficiently long as to
free them Of political influence, and
with such adequate compensation as
will secure men OF this type.
THE recent banking legislation was
enacted for the purpose of increasing
the credit and strengthening the
facilities OF our banking system. Rail
road regulation should follow che
same lines with respect to railroad
credit and facilities. The Interstate
tarially increased, and must be or
ganized so as to deal promptly with
The important questions which come
before them, as such questions are
largely business and not legal ques-
tons
1.-THE power Of the Interstate Com
inerce Commission should be extended
to the supervision and control OF all
rates and practices affecting inter-
state transportation. 1t was the con-
dicting regulation Of commerce as be-
tween the different States and the
customs barriers imposed by each
State at It's boundaries which prim-
srily led to the adoption of the Con-
stitution Of the United States.
'@The analogous practice OF estab-
fishing intrastate rates so as to pro-
sect intrastate commerce as against
competition Of interstate commerce,
imperatively demands the exercise
by the Federal commission Of a con-
erol over intrastate rates,
Senator MARITIME created consider
able amusement III his talk by relat-
Ing the inquiry he made among rail-
road employees to find out who was
being benefited by the increased reve-
une Of the railroads. He said that not
one of the employees he interviewed
= rad an 4vanv in Uas ar
q notice that wages would be in
creased. The senator directed his re-
marks to Mr.. Patterson and wanted
10 know why the railroads also dis
played q large increase In revenue
sach year, although they we're preach
ing poverty. He added that the coun-
try was ready and willing TO assume
government ownership OF the roads
and would make the system as profit
able to the public as the postal and
parcel post systems.
The speaker declared that the United
States Senate was composed OF men
Of the highest type In the country,
and the public had every reason to
be proud OF such representative
body. He spoke of the vast wealth
Of the country and the wonderful OPP
portunities here for further improve
ment. The senator concluded by prais-
ing the Mems Club of the Forest Hill
church and other clubs for the part
they played In the social uplift.
Mrs. Posts Address.
THE most regrettable fact in the
present European war;" said Mrs.
Post, was pointed out TO me by an
old colored man. told him thought
40 supposed that the killing Of so
many men was the most monBtrous
hing he could think of in connection
with the war, but he answered, Tt
doesn't matter so much about the
dead. but that there are so many men