Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-24

'oA HAtlNfl AAlta Ait Wull0 mas eNfT
known. and e az that time American
railroad securities are not earning a fair
return upon the investment. nothing can
prevent them COINS into the financial
scrap heap-and e Is 60 prepare for this
conference.-the keep railroad securities
from becoming a point OF national weak
ness. which will bring the whole temple
Of American investments tumbliug down
over our heads-to protect the hundreds
Of banks, life and firo insurance com
panios, etc. whose assets are largely in
vested in railroads bonds, as woIl as the
railroads themselves-this Is the fear
witch Is gripping hundreds Of flnanclers,
and students OF economic conditions In
tho present hour--men, many OF whom
heretofore havo never seriously concerned
themselves over the troubles Of American
railroads. In the present instance. there
fore, tho railroad crisis is OF tremendous
Importance because in Il IL involved the
still greater problem OF tho integrity ard
safety OF the whole superstructure OF
American business. That we cannot shove
u aside by n broadside Of demagogc
platitudes or minimize II by employing the
strategy OF an ostrich is apparent 70 all
thinking cltisens who are seriously con
ocrnsd in their own and the countrys
future welfare.
Up Co People Ot Nebraska.
In few other states have the railroads
had larger share in progress and de-
velopment than IN Nebraska. whose broad
prairies they helped 20 convert from The
habitat OF rowing herds OF buffalo and
savage indians--and from that hour to
this they have contributed their fun share
70 a story OF thrift and enterprise which
swells with pride the breast OF every true
Nebraskan.
The last federal census report shows
that from 1900 to 1910 the general value
Of Nebraska farm lands increased iss per
oent-and in view Of these facts, had the
men and women who put hundreds or
millions Of dollars into Nebraska rail-
road securities years aso invested their
money in Nebraska farm lands. would not
the investment have proven infinitely
more profitable for them? And have not
the railroads played a tremendous part
in these advancing land values in the past.
and will they not also have much to do
with the value which viii be added from
this time forward7 Have not the interests
of the farmer and the railroads always
gone hand in hand in this great western
country Did they not conquer the wild
erness together aDd would tho progress
OF one have been possible without the
other7 Should not the railroads of this
state. therefore. have the good will and
friendship OF the farmer when all they
ask Is that they be permitted to earn n
reasonable income upon their Investment
Splendid as has been our progress In
the past, Nebraska today stands merely
on the threshold OF It's true destiny. We
have ample room for thousands OF add
tlonai tillers OF the soil. So, too. our
splendid inland towns and cities plead
for factories IN order that we may, our
selves. produce much of the finished mer-
chandise for which our people spend
many millions OF dollars annually. Again.
we stu need hundreds OF miles OF new
railroad mileage before we shall be able
70 make the most Of our, agricultural and
commercial possibiiities-and the millions
necessary for the construction OF these
factories and these added transportation
facilities will not be forthcoming unless
we treat fairly the millions already in
vested within our midst
No state can rise higher than SIS pee
pie. The state is what It's people make
IT, We are all dependent upon each other.
The welfare OF the town and the sur
rounding farms depends upon spirit
OF kindly cb-operation between those who
live In town and those who live upon the
farm. without splendid little inland
towns we would have a rural atmosphere
which would drive every bright country
boy and girl 10 the cities--while without
the farms the towns would wither and
die. Even 50 II is with our great COM
u1onweaith as a whoie-a commonwealth
which for It's own sake and for which
Il Is q part should contribute It's full
share 20 the New Day" 70 which the
president referred 50 beautifully In re-
cent address-a day fraught with "a
broader understanding and justice Tor
every man OF interest, whether great or
small At this moment there are a halt
million men out OF work In New York
city. nearly 10000 in Chicago. almost
10000 in ST. Louis. white the Kansas City
Commercial club for the first thine IN the
history Of that splendid city is graphing
with the problem Of thousaAds OF idle
men. Truly u IL time 10 think
The Course OF Empire.
Slowly but surely the course Of empire
Is moving westward. It's lands iFnpoger-
ished In fertility, New ENGLAND, as well
as the great nations Of the old world.
today look TO the corn belt Tor toodstuffs
and sooner or later the center Of this
mighty nations wealth viii be found here
amid the rich valleys Of tho Missouri and
the Mississippi. which. in point Of pro-
ductiveness. are without an equal in any
similar area upon the habitahls globe.
Here our> People are assured that nature
will always sooner OF later amply reward
honest thrift and industry. Here our
families are farthest removed from
those influences which eorrode and cor
rupt civiuzatlon. Here American man
hood and womanhood find their broad
est opportunity. and with a common
wealth so rich IN promise and 70 much
In need OF additional capital with which
10 develop eta resources, can II people do
a wiser thing than 10 say 20 the world
that every dollar invested IN Nebraska
enterprise and industry shall be per
mitted 70 earn 3 fair return for its owner
from this time fOward2 Would not such,
a declaration be fsir9 Would Il not be
infinitely wise as q matter Of pure bust
ness policy on behalf Of cur grear state?
II " because Nebraska railroads be-
lieve that Nebraska people win be gen
srously fRir--once they know the truth
about this great questi0n-that has per-
suaded them 20 make this appeal through