The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-07-01
LOVE Makes
HIGH OFFICIALS
z STAND At MEET
PRESIDENT RIPLEY ADMITS
THAT HE LEARNED SOME
THING IN OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma City, Okla, july l.
Chairman Jack" Love of the Okla
homa corporation commission believes
Ia teaching railroad regulation through
and by the force of practical expert
ence. He does not believe that prac-
tical knowledge can be obtained from
text books or treatises on how to con-
duet the great transportation agencies
of the country. One instance in the
history of the commission proves this.
At hearing on railroad rates all
of the presidents of all the railroads
in Oklahoma were present as were also
the general attorneys and others. Mr..
Ripley OF the Santa Fc, Mr.. Nudge of
the Rock Island Mr.. Yoakum of the
st. Louis & San Francisco, Mr.. Nc
lLeod OF the Midland Valley, Mr.. Allen
of the Missouri, Kansas &c Texas. were
on hand with their retinues of minor
officials and lawyers.
The visitors were ushered into a
room bare of chairs except the three
provided for the members of the com
mission. They stood up. some of
them leaning against the walls and
others trying to find roosting place
on the window sills with but poor re-
suits. Some of them adopted the
Isquatting position familiar to all who
have sojourned in the west for years,
resting on their knees.
Chairs Didn't comel
In due time the commission met
and proceeded with the business in
hand. Every official looked around
every minute expecting to see the
messenger of the commission arrive
with the long g-desired chairs but the
hope was vain. Finally after two
hours of this kind of torture and
Just before the noon adjournment
Chairman Love addressed the meeting
like this:
Gentlemen, probably you have
noticed the absence of chairs. This
is not an oversight but | ordered the
chairs removed on purpose. You
gentlemen have a good deal to learn
although you may imagine you know
all about the railroad business You
ride over the line in your private cars,
you have every comfort, | may say
every luxury that can be provided,
you stop at a station, have minutes
conversation with the agent and pro
ceed along your way. You do not see
the women, mothers with babies in
their arms standing in cold and
cheerless waiting room in some out
of the way place for hours on a win
ters night waiting for late train and
with not a seat to rest their tired
bodies. You do not have to endure
for hours the fetid air which fills the
lungs and the throats of the tender
and frail women and children who
patronize your lines and who help pay
for the elegant private cars in which
you travel. You only hear what your
subordinates think you want to hear.
You never see the dark side of things
because your employees, in a mistaken
spirit of loyalty, imagine they would
be reprimanded if they told you the
naked truth. | wanted to bring to-
your attention through the force OF
experience something of the incon-
venience which the passengers in the
remote districts in this state endure
in order that your dividends might be
| wanted to give you an
idea of what you are tolerating ii you
do not indorse And this is one of the
things which cause people to nurse
md foster a prejudice against rail
-oads. Can you blame them?"
Upon leaving the room Mr.. Ripley
iaid he had good many things hap
zen to him in his railroad career but
hat he had just learned a lesson
which was more valuable than any
'ther and the other officials agreed
With him. In the afternoon the room
vas plentlfully supplied with chairs.