Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-02-04
WHY RAILROAD BUILDING
CEASED.
From the Waco Tribune

NNAHA = - NfH 1900 1850
that We are imprllcd a. rcrur 10 them.
The American people Viii consider
government ownership If railroads ~
spirit of great dclihcraiion AMI caution.
The proposal the mere thought. i BIZ
and momcutuu>. We cannot venture an
estimate rs io the cost. direct OUTLAY
how MANY billions OF dollars of such a
step. Before getting to that l. the
thought 81 t'' great number OF persons
who would al nee enter the government
>crvicc-ouc million aud seven hundred
thousand men. Tor virtually al are men.
Their wages. at most conservative c>ti
matte would hr -liu.Ntu tam per month.
90 more than u billion and i half dollars
per aunum added 90 The cost uf govern
meat With interest. operation and
maintenance ,harur~ added. the figures
would ~ over two billion dollars \ wear.
nf course the government would have
the revenues. from freight and passenger
traffic. hut IN I'M u muHirutuu> proposal
M increase ihr fixed charges NJ ruudurt
ing thr national government two billions
Y YEAR. The figures ARE essentially con
sentative. Our reflects too. nn the fact
that under private ownership the rail
roads nav tu states. counties and munich
pa%liIir~ nearly ~%l5U.mOnuun annual, I'LL
taxes uu their properties. The recipients
~ that vast sum would ~ 10th ~ give
an such \ source ~ revenue. Govern
mrnt ownership iIav come iu time. hut IL
will W. slow I'D coming There H. too
-much involved The transition j. 81 the
future hardly tor this generation.
IN the meantime railroad building had
ceased. The action at the Interstate
Commission. cuucrdiug ia groups 81 roads
10 certain ~%cctiou> ut The country the
privilege of lu~titutiug "a moderate ia
CREASE ia freight rates. may. and We lee
licvc VIII. have wholesome essentially
desirable results. NOT merely iu cucour
aging some resumption Of construction
and hcttcrmcnt> as To- equipment and op
Grafton. hut % better feeling. some renew
al of confidence 30 The part of the own
.rr> of the properties thus affected. II
H. rrgTrttlhlc that the Interstate Com
mission did not come iu the rescue ear
her than ID did hUt lct that pass. That
DO did intervene i~ II gratifying fact. What
IN more. IN strengthens thr hope that iu
other parts uf thr country tlu-'. who
are invested With discretion lul author
ItN iH such matters may hr compelled tu
Ike action, realization ut thr situation
tor it i> wv iIrf th.t Ihr country over auI
notably here IU Texas. tEr railroads Jrr
lu hard lines. Tho hItr lu~t money
their expenses Hrr larger lhIu ever. their
revenues lfr nut up tu their essentially
legitimate urt,I-. Thr physical daml.
in railway rinI"rtiv- over and above
ihc reasonable average ratio lI rNprrta
tf"nI during tho past lhrtr. wears sums
mn lu several millions ut dollars. with
depleted business ana revenues tines were
'>kri iu Operate aUd maintain i> usual
Hud meet tir lu~~u~ alluded tu. The,
could lul du it. Th, inevitable result
lrl> h,ru depression for railroad inter
">i>. HHd some rrCrItrr>hip> have come
There was y remedy. \ means Of ~licf
iu authority d. increase freight rates.
Increase has hcru the rule with every,
bod, and everything during The past ten
Years. save with the common carriers
They have h,cu asked and required o. bc
am example an INCEPTION To- TIN rulc
that everyday tWithu1t cNccutiuu1 ap.
piled to them. l. is the Texas Railroad
commission thIt dur~ Not appear 90 hc
impressed hV the conditions bt the needs
uf lhc roads.
can there hr progress. and prosperity.
~ the nature AMI volume 80 essential
and desirable ANA especially iu Texas.
devoid ~ ua,igihlr streams without
railroad facilities Hardly. I'd IL NOT
merely new trlchIgr luHd thr stale needs
li lrl>t lutlh additional miles that i>
in mind Ill i> adequate operation equip
mrHi and maintenance ni tIr trIrkIur
already built For udrrulrt. there must
hr adequate revenue Hnd existing rates
,r unt supply that.
HIM. t-tW r.t. hmm. rr4 tv. -
nr extensions with such " situation If
i~ people WI large means. l> w rule. vhn
furnish thr cash in build railroads. What
i> There. in th, situation in trmut >irrh
people iu nWf money in urW trtrkr.r
with RAILWAY investments depressed tL.
least attractive rf investments. These
investments Jr- likrl, -tn Lp .ur les ar
irIriItr unless there - " change NV the
attitude dnd spirit Nh state governments
~ the authority that controls rates
which are che basis al revenue.
The world war. drpInrYhIr IL Il
from any viewpoint. looms up ~ Il cause
Tor >"liritUdc iu connection with IN.
subject We arc discussing The warning
nations rf' have MONEY. The, have
credit anal sources and can eri mnuc,
The Wurit 3a> never seen an era IA lis
History when mcu ct ar.c means will
have opportunities as investors I'm bonds
securities most attractive of an, in
this dav and time. 4 million dollars in
the bonds of any One 81 thr five nrcaf
power, az war viii far >urpa>> IA IN
tractivcmc>> the bonds ~ a railroad
struggling with the conditions that ~
many M our roads lrr facing TODAY. n
VIII " seen thai IN the immediate flfur.
SAY far ttrt4t .Y ftt.t .4...t.l.
difficulty Nj securing money III huiII
ruilMuN~ will La ary.,r.r tb.t, n