The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1914-01-15
IMPROVEMENTS
AWAIT DECISION
Continued from page H.
Let Public Boards Fight Il.

west, the labor OF convincing the COM
mission that the public can only get
what it wants if the railroads can find
the money to give it, has been prac-
|tically abandoned. The commission
now has in it's hands the proposition
for an advance in rates and has had it
a long time. It is held up. What the
decision finally will be no one can pre-
|dict. But this is true-the railroads
are stepping aside, and the public,
which is demanding the improvements
and extensions and terminal enlarge
lments and other things, and the COM
mission, which can make it possible
for the public to get these things can
fight it out.
"The railroads have quit. They
have struck or are about to strike. It
is up to the public and the commission.
Either the commission must recognize
that, as conditions are and as they
have been for several years past, the
railroads cannot 60 on enlarging ter
minals and extending mileage without
opportunity to earn more money, or
| the public, to be consistent, must not
blame the roads when the next great
period of activity comes on and the
facilities are not there to handle the
business.
All the extended argument that has
been presented as showing the situation
the railroads are facing can be con-
densed into short paragraph. Forty
nine systems had operating income in
1910 Of 1852 100000. In three years
they put $5OO,OOO,OOO into improve
ments that the public demanded. In
1913 the operating income was $347,-
100000, or $15,OOO,OOO less. Yet the
volume of business was enormously
increased, and the roads actually took
in from other sources, $180,000, 900
more than in 1910. They paid it all
out and $15,OO0,OOO besides in higher
wages, higher cost of material and
other increases. That is the whole
story.
IF man ran a grocery store and
increased his business greatly in three
years, but higher salaries to his clerks,
higher cost Of keeping his horses and
other expenses ate up all the extra
money he took in and left him worse
off than before, he would figure he
was selling his goods too cheap. But
the only thing the railroads have to
sell is transportation. If they cannot
get higher rates and have to meet the
higher expenses, they will get along
somehow, but obviously they cannot
keep giving the public every year
more and more things that the public
wants and that cost money.
No Money, No Improvements.
$50 the railroads are on a strike.
"The fight for higher rates on the
part of the railroads is Practically
over. If the commission says the
roads cannot advance rates, the roads
will have to abide by it. But Mime
apolis will soon need greater terminals
and the northwest will need greater
facilities. They cannot be provided
without money.
81 have the utmost confidence in the
stability of Minneapolis and the sur
country. Something is now
being heard Of less favorable condi-
|tions elsewhere. Less than any other
part of the country, I believe, Mime
apolis and its territory will be affected
liz there is a slowing down in 1914.
But the opportunity for business &C
|tivity, for labor employment on a
large scale and general good times,
lis right at hand. If the railroads of
Minneapolis could start right in today
with such extension and Improvement
and betterment work as the people
want, there would be buying stimu
|lus the importance Of which cannot be
But the roads have
shown again and again that they cam
not do it, and at the same time stand
the repeated advances in wages and
continued upward price trend in every
thing they use unless they can earn
more money. Enough has been pre-
sented in proof of this to fill great
books.
Prosperity the Stake.
eff the railroads have good times,
everyone else will have good times.
The railroads have been forced. in
this country, to the edge of the limit
Of earning capacity. Meanwhile, not
day passes that we are not asked by
some commercial club or some city
official body, or business associates,
or individual to build something new,
something for the benefit of some
town that is ambitious. Many such
requests are legitimate and we would
be glad to comply. But we cannot do
so without the money. This is con-
dition existant with every road.
.That is why say that the inter-
state commerce commission holds a
power today that the men who Great
ed it never dreamed it would hold. 1t
has the power to make the country
move ahead. If it would give the word
that would show the railroads they
may earn sufficient money next year
and thereafter to pay for the work,
Tor pay the interest on the debt that
the financing Of the work would entail,
new equipment would be bought, new
stations built, new lines put down, new
terminals laid out and q general up
building program would replace the
present attitude Of hesitation"