Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1915-03-04
PRESIDENT MARKHAM, OF THE
lie. PLEADS For FIR PLAY
Asks the Co-oPer1tion Of Every
Individual Of the State OF
Missiszippi.

President Markham Of the Hi
nois Central Railroad, has Writ
ten a frank ard outspoken letter
in rai!utation Of recent criticism
OF his road. and charges made by
the deluge Of damage suits with
which the I C. has been afflicted
President Markham is hoping
for better understanding between
the people aSd the railroads anC
says. Il believe the railroad.
have been too reticent in the past;
mat We have not opened up on
thoughts, our hearts. our trial
and fluctuations 70 the extern
that We should have done. VII
this eud in view--the iniorsaIng
Of the people from the railroad
standpnint-Iiterature has beer
distributed among the people and
is open to Whatever criticism the
press and people see fit 10 give it /
When the people come to un-
derstAEd that litigatiOn--.falS
damage suits''--is profitable tsi
only 9 few inpecuaious lawyer
who seek them and that the bur
dens imposed upon the railroad
rebound 10 rest upoa the people
the court dotkets will not be s.
conspicuous with suits again -
the railroads.
Mr. Markham says. .'OuF poll
cy is 10 settle bona fide claims "a
fair and ressonabl figures az
We are eaeeavoring To pursu
that course in a thorough and
systematic manner. II a person
has a meri.orIous claim again
Us. he does got have 70 sue. Al
we ask is fair opportunity to /
settle, but Oftentifnes. ia A.issis
sippi, we are not afforded an np-
pOrtunity. but are promptly I
ysnked into court Nobody ever
heard of an Individual being
treated In that manner, yet that
is what Is very often melted out
TO the railroads !
As 10 freight rates "a compared
tc those of ether countries and
wages of employees, the president
states. 1T costs seven mills, on
the average, 20 haul a ton /
freight mile in America. In
Eng land il costs 233 cents. in
France 1 Al cents. and in Ger
many y cents. The average
sailY compensation paid to rail-
say employees az the United
States J. s. >. while in England
Is Is 81 %. n France s. cents and
ia Germany 81 cents"
In this connection we would
state Dun's Reviw, in its annual
number, in an article On Rail
road Earnings ia 1911" show i
oss 10 the railroads of % per
cent, compared with last year,
aud a decrease in every section. .
In the southern sections con. ,
1ltIoas in the cotton markets ae-
counted for the falling eff OF -
per cent, and in the west the
competition of the Panama Canal
caused a loss of6.4. Tnere was
the greatest depression in Feb
ruary Of last year caused by
weather. conditions. This is auth
oritative information and We are
taking pleasure in informing our
readers, 50 that 70 some extent at
least each one NAV be enabled. 70
consider imp trtially the positions
OF both pe"ple and the railroads.
Prejudice and bias should De rel
egated.
When q corporation meets legal
requirement, pays It's taxes and
does legitimate service, it should
be Accorded protection under the
law u an individual
i In this connection it is interest
ing 10 note how the people north
OF the ohio and Potomac Ris ers
ana east Of the Mississippi were
protected by the Interstate CON-
merce Commission who recently
refused To permit the increase Of
freight rates on live stock, fresh
meat and packing house pro-
duets. The increase. il is stated.
would have added $40, 100000 to
$50, on0.O00 per annum to the cost
OF such commodities to the pub
lie.
i The peoples interests are be-
ing suoserved everywhere. They
! need only TO be just to themselves
, IN their attitude toward corpora
| tons and enterprises that primar-
. lily mean their upbuilding.
The Semi Weekly Leader.