The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-11

discouraEing a more rapid develop
ment Of still unoccupied and unknown
fields.
mo railroad executive that l know
has ever taken the position that he
did not wish to spend money In de-
veloping his property. improving the
facilities, and afFording better ser
vice to the public, With this az his
platform. he should have enthusiastic
support from the public.
almost every citizen in this coun-
try is dependent upon transportation
lines from one standpoint or another.
And the transportation lines are like
wise dependent upon them.
1T is almost impossible to conceive
that a disastrous condition to the pop
ulation of this country produces reve-
nue. for q transportation line. And 1t
is equally impossible to contemplate
any condition which paralyzes trans
portation interests that promotes
prosperity with the people.
1.-THE construction Of many OF these
lines far in advance OF their neces-
sity, some a commercial and military
precautiOn to cement the union OF
states during the Civil war. some OF
Improbable character and especially
in the western states, was the fore
runner Of invitation to people to come
and occupy untaken land which at the
time was considered OF little value
and which would not have been taken
for agricultural purposes had trans
portation facilities not furnished the
opportunity of transporting their
products to market and supplies ana
fuel necessary for their existence.
THE atmosphere as at present OPP
Grating, is arresting the development
of transportation lines. whose facil1-
ties today are inadequate to their de-
mands under normal conditions, and
- to nh
the growth of the country. Tor the rea-
son that their investments have been
largely discredited And yet. If you
will trace only one of the articles
that naturally go into the construction
of line, you will see its effects with
the growth Of purchasing and devel-
oping, and 1t permeates into large
number of the Industrial enterprises.
For example, If a railroad refuses
to buy a ton Of rail, the ore Is not
mined, which brings no income to the
| owner and the miner; the ships do
not haul it, which brings no income
| to the owner and employee: the mill
does not manufacture it. and the re-
suit is that there is no coal mined and
shipped, and there is no employment
of labor to convert the ore into steel
Then if there is no rail made, there
| is no railroad transportation line to
load and haul it and employ men for
purpose of delivering. And there are
no men employed to place the rail in
the track. and there is no money ex-
changed. no values increased or Gre
ated. And this lesson can go through
the products of the soil and of the for
est and through mineral, coal. oil
and many other industries and the
various manufactures which are al
most unlimited, all indirectly affecting
the employment of millions Of men
entirely outside .zof that created by
the direct employees on the pay rolls
of transportation lines.
Therefore. it should be plainly evil
dent if prosperity is to exist, it must
ceding illustrations, and bring about
an increase where it travels to the
final point Of consumption and use.
In speaking of the financial affairs
. and troubles which are now confront
ing the railways Mr.. Mohler said:
1T seems absolutely inconsistent
that a railroads position. is to remain
stationary. or is to he lowered by re-
| strictive enactments, or otherwise,
while there can be a constant increase
of values in all the manufactures
which it is required to buy and use:
| a constant increase of the labor which
| 1t must employ; a constant increase of
the taxes which are assessed against
it's property. And yet, on the other
| hand, all the various industries which
are its patrons, which manufacture
and sell, are permitted to readily take
advantage Of increased cost by add
| ing same to the value of the property
in that way preventing losses, and
maintaining their standing financially.
This seems to railroads a poor rule
| that does not work both ways.
| There are of course q variety Of
things upon this problem, and as nat
urally is the case when men get be-
set with theories they become deter
mined, unreasonable. If not selfish in
| insisting upon their demands"