The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-12-11
AID OF WILSON
IS ASKED BY A
RAILROAD MAN
Head of Southern System Ap-
peals to President to Solve K
Problem of Railroads.

NEW YORK, Dec. IL Am appeal
TO President Wilson ito solve the rail-
way problem, or ''to establish a
Constitution of Peace among the
various views and interests which
menace the success of the system of
transportation" was made by Fair
fax Harrison. president OF the South
.ern railway, in an address at the an
nual dinner of the Railway Business
Association here last night. The as
isociation is a national organization
of manufacturers, merchants and en-
gineers dealing with railways.
Mr.. Harrison says:
irresponsible Control.
I'm the controversy between the
owners of railroads and the repre-
sentatives of the public. the pendu-
lum has now swung to an extreme on
the side of irresponsible public pow
er as 1t had previously swung to an
extreme on the side of irresponsible
ownership.
"The conception is that in the In,
position of burdens. railroad COM
panies are public concerns and sub
1ect to the public regulating power,
but, in the matter OF relief. are pri-
syate property and not entitled to be
considered from the standpoint of
their public service. :,
Like the previous stage Of ire
.sponsible private control. the exist
ing system of irresponsible, rigid
and divided regulation cannot per-
manently endure. My present pur-
pose is not to venture to suggest the
solution but the course from which
an acceptable solution must come.
Statesman's Opportunity.
The problem is a statesman's op-
portunity. He who solves 1t must be
trusted by all the people. He must
be above the suspicion OF selfish mo-
tive. All the lessons of history must
be at his command. He must be a
profound student of human action
and of human government. He must
have power to impress his views upon
his fellowmen. He must be able,
with just and equal hand, to divide
unto capital and unto labor its liv-
ing.
He must be able to assure the
public of the correction of abuses,
the establishment of justice and the
maintenance of facilities adequate
for their needs, and he must be able
to assure the private owner of pro-
lection of his just interests and of
fairness to his just rights. He must
be able to reconcile the people to his
philosophy OF regulation and the pol
itician to the loss of a highly valued
political asset. Is there a man among
IFS who 10 cannh1a nf thico ff ~
limo is Ripe.
Il venture to suggest that the
present President of the United
States is equal to this great achieve
ment. The time seems ripe for him
to undertake it. He has recently in
an impressive way shown publicly a
sympathetic appreciation of the rail-
road situation. The fact thus made
evident, that he has grasped the point
of view from which a.solution a. of this
problem must be approached, has
aroused in the minds of many the
hope that before laying down the
reins of government he wifi propose
and work out sons constructive plan
that will give stability to railroad in
vestment and growth.
No ambition could be more
worthy than to establish a 'Constitu-
tion of Peace among the variant
views and interests which menace
the success of the system of trans
portation. No service to his fellow
men could be a loftier or finer SER
ylcesthan to place this high interest
of the people upon a sound, stable
and permanent foundation.
L. u.
men now charged with the RESPONSE
biiity of railroad management when
l say that they will welcome solu-
tion of the problem, however it may
differ from any pre-conceived views,
and will meet any suggestions that
may be made in cooperative and
a helpful. and not in carping or
obstruction spirit"
sPANIARDs EXECUTED.