The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-12-11

for the entire railroad service and
un immediate general rate advance
90 save the crash at the temple Of
transportation lie said
The argument has never appealed
to me that We ought To prosper our
railroads for the specific purpose Of
promoting general prosperity Il
seems Ca me more important tu pros
per our transportation lines as "a SIM
pie matter OF fairness n Justice 60
this most important single agoncy in
our modern lives.
~ believe that Tho DAY OF plumber
ing financing has passed. 1 should
hkc TO proclaim. in the same breath,
the passing OF railroad hating less
Inspired hy public good than by per
sonai profits and political gain II
has heen "a great stunt TO hammer the
railroads.
The drift is toward the sober Sec
ond thought There has been an exr
cess OF commissioning The best
railroad knowledge In all the land
ought Go l!Rht the way. Public sery-
ice ought To- be the impeltine pur-
pose. unhcedtus public clamor.
! believe IL b. the opinion of nine
ty-niue of every hundred thinking
people that the railways Of the coun-
Try are entitled TO an Increase OF
rates. ana would gladly see it grant
ed
Under our present system OF re-
duced ana Insufficient earning. and
with Increased cost Of operation,
there are no marked railway better
meuts except IN the high tide OF
earnings when cost Is highest and
improvements are hampercd bN traf-
hc operations We ought Co reverse
this order and provide am ample
earning la good times to enable cN-
itensiye bettermcnt Co be made In the
dull period. This would tend Co bet
ter service In the days OF the revival
Meanwhile the expenditure for bet
terments would relieve the general
dizziness amid such conditions as we
complain OF today.
Through agitation and restriction
there has come impaired credit. un-
30 there is a threatening collapse OF
the railroad edifce. These Items OF
maintenance and bctterments have
been overlooked by the political cN-
horters.
Perhaps the lack Of successful
regulation is due Co the uewucss OF
the undertaking. 10 the unavoidable
political citation and 10 the harass-
meut OF conflicting authority because
Of varied state legislation aud state
commissions. We ought 10 put the
entire railway service under inter-
state control. such q policy would
have millions In puohC service and
put az on q broad plane The law
making industry Is too often worked
overtime. The country needs today
less legislative bills pending and more
railroad bills of lading.
1T Is apparent that the Interstate
commerce commission believes In the
pressing necessity for increased earn
ings. hut opposes h short and dl-
rect route. The rate increase would
be direct n Immediate. other re-
/ medal cfforts could be left to fol-
adoption IL the combined income
IRON increased rates and added serv-
ice charges made excessive earnings
contrary 60 public policy, the same
authority which grants the increase
could order "a reduction
"a general rate advance will not
bring the complete revival OF Amcri-
can activity, but it viii save the crash
OF the temple Of transportation,
establish railway credit and Head TO
that physical rehabilitation which rs
of prime importance in ministcrins
20 greater American activities