Albuquerque morning journal., 1915-02-26
President SprouIe, of Southern
Pacific System, Scores
Theorists Who Are Attack
ing COuntry'S Interests,
EMPLOYERS FIRST TO
SUFFER ADVERSELY
Employees Cannot Hold Posi-
tIonS When Those Who Hire
Them Cannot Keep Work in
Operation,

lsf hohhlNo JOURNAL SPECIAL lUAeED wtRHi
Chicago, Feb 25--"rhe country il
IN the midst of a period of unempioy-
nent and distress, the like of which
the nation never saw before" win
nam Sproule, president OF the South
ern Pacific, declared here tonight in
an address at the annual dinner of the
Traffic club. He attributed this
condition to what he said was long
continued clamor against all sorts of
public businesses, aud predicted lis
end only when returning prosperity
of employers should spell prosperity
for the employed. Beginning bv
outlining difficulties faced bv the
transportation business, which he
said had lost its momentum" he
broadened TO the state Of business
generally, and took vigorous excep-
tion to any suggestion that business
conditions would be better if business
men believed they would be better.
Employers Must Prosper.
"The booster lifts nothing higher
than the level of his own teeth" de-
clared the railway executive.
THE trumpeter OF prosperity be-
guiles only his own ears. Prosperity
Is real, or it does not exist. We do
not have 20 look Cor #: II comes to
us. II grows within our sight like
a plants coming flower. 1t comes
to MS when the employer resumes en-
ployment and II will not come to us
until the people generally. whether
their capacity be large or small,
whether they work with their mus
cles or their minds (and all work re-
quires mind), discover that their con-
dition improves only as their em-
ployer is prosperous.
1T is the habit OF the time To
speak of employment as If II related
only to those who work for a speci-
fic hourly or daily, weekly or month
ly wage. 1t is thought of chiefly as
relating TO those engaged in minor
places or in the humber duties of life.
The Man Hit First.
"The facts run quite TO the con-
trary. 1t is the employer who is first
out of employment. AS a natural Sc
quence he is followed by the em-
ploye.
Unemployment begins only when
the employer himself begins TO be
unemployed When the employer is
prosperous and his energies are
properly employed, employees have
abundant employment, and they also
prosper.
but why is this period of unem-
ployment? IL is because all business
is bewildered and uncertain. long
period of Misrepresentation misun-
derstandings and pettifoggings has so
misled the public mind that through
out the country, every prosperous
business indeed, every organization,
prosperous or not, which Is big
enough TO attract the public platform
performer, finds that il exists in an
atmosphere of attack.
Too Many theorists.
'The nation is filled with political
economists. Business is filled to
safety with economic theories.
when men ask for work, they are
handed an epigram.
"But the sad fact is, the more po-
litical theories are proposed the
poorer become the people.
II urge the prosperity of the aver
age man.
"To secure that prosperity ] urge
the imperative necessity of taking
business out Of an atmosphere Of at
tack into the old fashioned, go-
ahead atmosphere of business init
iatye and American enterprise.
urge relief from lne iaus, laIlNlsS az"
isms which have filled the streets
with unemployment and put away
the dinner pail of the workihghlan
empty upon the shelf of the impoNer-
ished home. ] urge the restoration
of confidence in the fact that Amer
lean business men are the peers OF
anv in the world. Finally, / urge
that the public interest In transpor-
tation is that it shall be prosperous
in order that It may be suceesstui
and energetic aid to all the business
1t is designed to serve,
That the president and many gov
ernors are danxious students Of the
needs Of our time" Mr.. sproule sald'
was happy augury and patriotic as
surance that the present is a passing
phase
Al - M