The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1914-01-30

perform public services, In return for
which more than one hundred millions
oil annual revenue is collected. These
are Dig figures and, in a country in
which there has always been a pride
IN big things, In which every commun.
lily has been wont to boast of that
which it has which is the biggest, such
a big thing as the Southern Railway
system should be, and | believe Ia,
a source Of pride to the South, but
exactly in proportion as 1t is big also
IN its public service and faithful In
lis public trust. The administration
OF such a vast machine, affecting. as II
does, the comfort and well being Of
the people Of a large territory, Ia,
therefore, itself a large public service,
The time has passed when 1t might
be exploited for merely private and
selfish ends. The lawyers used to
tell US that a railroad was a quasi.
public institution, but today, happily,
1t might better be described as a quasi.
private institution. 1t Is private still
In the opportunity It presents for the
exercise Of individual initiative and
competitive service, but In practically
every other sense It Is now recognized
that it il public.
1t Is a matter Of sincere regret to
every railroad manager that railroad
securities are not more generally held
directly and Immediately, In the com.
muntties which the railroads serve
The lack of such holding deprives him
OF a powerful and sympathetic ally in
the relation of public opinion to his
problems. The time was when the rail.
road stocks were owned Immediately
at home, and by the people who were
most influential In shaping public opin.
ION, but today, while railroad stocks
are generally held by the same kind of
peopie-by those who, through the ex-
erc!se OF prudence, industry and cour.
age have laid by a competence, and by
the women and children for whom
they worked-such investors now do
not as a class reside In the territories
In which they have made their invest.
mehts. The explanation of this phe.
nomenon-so well known to us all, but
SUI a phenomen0n--is part OF the
financial history of the United States.
but the fact has given rise to a feel.
ing among many OF those who use the
railroads daily and come into imrned,.
ate contact with their managements
the railroads belong to some mys.
remote and foreign power, to .
potentates. who bear. in :
imagination, the generic name :
Of Wall Street" We read in maya. {,
sines and newspapers of the romantic !
Iives attributed to a few individuals !.
who are supposed to control the :
festinieS OF whole communities by nos. :
and exploitation Of the instrn. :
nents upon which such commupl. :
les depend for their necessary trans. :
portation, who FIX" rates and arbi. '
.rari'y determine conditions Of serv. y
ce, and 80 tax the people they ought .
o serve, withdrawing money earned In |
20 sweat CT the brow from the com. =
nunities where II Is earned, to be dissl. :
'afed at a distance in extravagant fol. :,
les Such a vision is not the result =
u pure imasination--it has had un.
ortunately its foundation of justihca. \
Ion In a few conspicuous instances ,
mich leap to the lips Of everyone who !"
u p~resent.day Industrial :
rob.ems; but every Intelligent man :,
nows that 1t is no longer, II Il ever :,
las, the rule. y
IN considering such lamentable indi. ].
idual cases. the public. when forming =,
$ potent Judgment on the present cit. Y
Of the railway industry, must !,