davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14
Division of Railway Income
Between Capital and Labor
From the railway Age Gazette.)

with the latter the investment in road
and equipment increased S5,425, l6O.-
700, the increment available for CAPT
tai purposes being only 243 per cent.
upon the increased investment
AS compared with this inadequate
return TO capital it will be noted that
the increase of S55,S23 .662, or 67.9S
per cent, in payments to labor was
accompanied by an increase Of only
1862 or 30.S1 per cent. in the num-
bers of employees on June 30
Whilst returns to capital we're
greatly reduced through the necessity
of larger proportionate return TO la
Dor, they were further reduced by
the increased share given to the gov
eminent as taxes which increased
s7S,S35,221, or 127.7S per cent.
The statement shows that pu.lic
services rendered by the railways in
creased during the ten year period
60S3 per cent as to passenger ser
vice and 1921 per cent as to freight
! service, for which the railways re-
ceived 5427 per cent additional gross
revenue, paid ont 1892 per cent. more
for operating expenses. other than
wages, but paid in wages 679S per
cent more. and for taxes 1277S per
cent more the result of the undue
/ increase in the latter items being to
reduce the increased return for capt.
tai purposes to an increase Of only
2290 per cent This is much less
than the railways had a reasonable
right TO expect, and is entirely in
adequate 10 reimburse them for the
~ In. inv
ment in road and equipment"
The Railway Age Gazette, in COM
menting upon Mr. Worthington's fig
lures. saws.
"The complaint is heard constant
ly from social reformers, politicians
and representatives of organized Ia
Dor that labor does not receive in
wages its fair share Of the product
of industry or of the increase of that
product. The increase in the invest.
ment of capital is what creates the
increase in the demand for labor
and, if capital when invested in any
business. is not adequately remu-
nerated, it will cease 10 be invested
in that business, and thereby the in.
crease in the demand for labor in thar
business will be arrested To a Ger.
tain extent this is what has been hap
pening in the railway industry. Tht
decrease in the reward of capital in
vested in railways has caused
marked reduction in recent years il
the amount invested; and in conse
quence the number of men employed
on railways is no larger now thar
it was eight years ago.
"TOcrpogpc in uraucc are a., ,,pr,f.,
ed blessing to labor only when they
do not encroach on a reasonable re
turn to capital When they begin I,
do that. as they already have don,
in the railway business, they caus,
periods Of retrenchment and of slow
ing down in the rate Of investment
which throw men out of employment
thereby multiplying the advantages de
rived by labor from the advances II
its wages"
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14

Has regulation regulated? Has it
maintained competition in business,
or only among ambitious legislators?
Have we progressed" too fast and
far towards government control
faster than changed conditions can
be met-and have its destructive ten
denotes outrun its constructive ne
cessities? Has regulation been mar
rowed and perverted into a mere
policy of restraint, instead of exhib-
iting a broad and serviceable spirit
of cooperation between government
and industry?
We shall probably approach a dis
scussion of these questions with bet
ter Judgment by conceding, at the
outset, that, in one form or another,
the regulation Of business is here TO
stay. Indeed, IL is likely that the
preponderating opinion of business
men would be against a return 70
the days of unbridled individualism.
At any rate we have doubtless gone
beyond the time when we may rea-
sonably expect the government to
indifferently watch the struggles of
industrial warfare with no concern
as 10 the weapons employed OF the
rules of the contest. II does not,
however. follow that in exerting this
control. il must also cripple; nor is
complete domination of industry by
the government the sole alternative
of no control al all We shall prob
ably find, after experience has taught
its lessons, that on the whole, the
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14

burden of disaster upon an unkind
Providence. We must accept the fact
that when it comes, it is of our own
choosing and learn-even by the bit
ter cup of collective experience-that.
as a people, we are our own worst
enemies
But we Americans never do any
thing by halves. If We inaUgurate
reform, we must administer It in he
roic doses. This tendency to ego the
limit" in whatever we undertake is
inherent in the national character.
Because, therefore, under a business
system virtually without regulation
or restraint, evils had arisen with
which only the federal government
seemed adequate to cope, and because
"a reasonable application OF its adj
visory powers might accomplish
much 10 be desired, We have there
fore pursued the idea to a point 10
which the remedy is dangerously
near proving worse than the disease.
Granting as We may. the need OF
regulation TO correct the abuses OF
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14
MOI a Leg Left To Stand On
From the Norfolk virglnian-Filot)

Defenders Of the La Follette-Furu-
seth Seamens Act, in attempting 10
meet the widespread criticism Of that
legislation, have confirmed them
selves, in large measure, to iteration
and reiteration that the critics did
not know what they were talking
about when they declared that its
effect would be to increase the han
dicaps under which American bot
toms suffer in competition with for
eign ships in the overseas trade and
so further TO contribute to driving
the American merchant flag from
the high seas Instead of adding to
the disabilities under which American
shipping labors. the Seamon's Act, It
was insisted, would for the first time
in our national history, place Ameri-
can shipowners on terms of equality
with foreign competitors in the mat
ter of operating costs. This consum-
nation so devoutly to be wished was,
we were assured, to be brought about
by applying the standards established
by the act not only TO bottoms under
American registry, but to all vessels
leaving our ports, regardless of ma
tionality Sea conditions were TO be
leveled up to our standards, not down
to foreign standards. No longer
would the foreign seller Of freight
space on ocean carriers be able to
make use of lower operating costs to
underbid American sellers. BY ingen-
ious provisions of the La Toilette
Furuseth act, the foreign ship owner
sending a ship out of an American
port was to be made TO employ the
same number of able seamen as would
be required on an American vessel
OF similar tonnage and to pay identi-
cally the same rate Of wages. En-
forcement of the law was 10 be secur.
ed by denying clearance papers tc
any foreign ship refusing to comply
with any of its provisions.
From the very first those who had
studied the act close gave It as their
confident opinion that it could not be
made to apply to foreign shipping. as
any attempt so to do would entail VIC.
lation Of solemn treaty obligations
with something like a score of differ,
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14

ent countries, and hardly had the
measure passed Congress and receiv-
ed the signature of the President
when that view was given convincing
confirmation by the action Of several
foreign governments in fling protests
at Washington Nothing daunted,
however, the advocates Of the enact
ment have continued, with ever in
creasing righteousness, to defend It
as embodying the summum bonum OF
shipping legislation, insisting that
solemn treaty obligations be swept
aside as mere scraps of paper" and
declaring opposition to the law to be
founded only in the "imbecile vapor-
ings of the poison press" and the
"Mammon inEpired shrieks" of the
ship owning interests. Nor did they
hesitate to attempt to trade upon
calamity" as a means of promoting
their cause No sooner had the ap-
palling news Of the Eastland disaster
been flashed over the country than
the charge was made that there would
have been no loss Of life had the sea
mans act been in operation: and
that statement is persiste din though
the experts have declared that no
provision Of the La -Furuseth
law could have robbed the catastro-
phe of a single horror.
Now we have it on the authority OF
the Washington Herald that the law
officials Of the administration are
agreed that the seamen's act does
not apply TO foreign vessels entering
, or leaving our ports, and that an
opinion to that end will be announ-
ced by the encouragement in the
near future. This should put an end
to the claims advanced in behalf OF
the measure by its defenders, as il
puts an end to ell doubt as % what
effect Of the law, if permitted 10 stand
will be upon American overseas ship
| ping. It should also move Congress
when that body conyenes again to
take prompt action TO remove from
the statute books an enactment
which should never have been enact
| ed To err is human; to deliberately
persist in error after il has been
shown TO be error, is nothing short
| of criminal.
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14
Carranza's Vain Appeal
CFrom the washington Post)

Carranza gets cold comfort from
Latin-Ameriean governments in his
efforts to convince them that the
United States IS planning the con-
quest of Mexico. His telegram to the
president Of Argentina has evoked
reply to the effect that the Latin
American governments which are CO
operating with the United States are
endeavoring TO assist the Mexican
people TO obtain peace and good gov
eminent and that CarranzG would DO
we'll to aid in this movement II is
plain that Carranza's measure has
been taken by the Latin-American
executives. His bombastic and anti
quated appeal to prejudice and sus-
picion finds no response among the
enlightened leaders who are fully
conversant with the true aims of the
United States.
The press of South America echoes
public sentiment in approving the
pan-American movement for the res
toration OF good government in Mex
leo. Not a single newspaper has
come forward with the suggestion
that the Yankees are seeking con-
quest under the cloak of neighborly
aid The good faith Of the United
States has been proved too often in
recent years to be doubted now. All
Latin America knows that the United
States would have been justified long
ago in using force to restore peace in
Mexico The fact that this nation has
refrained from using its strength is
sufh lent evidence of its peaceful in
tentions. But beyond This is the de-
sire for pan-American good will and
mutual confidence, which the United
States has manifested in many ways.
notably in the calling Of the pan
American monetary conference.
The appeal that goes forward from
the United states and its Latin-Amer-
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14
TOWNSHIPS NEW SCHOOL.

nj unanimous vote the taxpayers in Townsend have
ID authorized the sale Of bonds, TO amount not
exceeding So 00O 10 obtain the money needed TO build
a new school TO replace the recently burned
II the officials Of the town be wise they will
quire site of a suitable for making of II ath
letic and recreative Following that, they will
select building design that will be in keeping with
present-day standards of school architecture in small
towns
Townsend is not rich town, but it should not lose
sight of the fact that there school buildings of
attractive designs that to construct than
do those possessed of unattracve features In short
in site and building. the town should obtain the best
things obtainable with the money at command.
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14

largest industrial freedom consistent
with an enforcement of the princi-
pals OF fair play and business honor
furnishes the wise middle ground of
benefit alike to industry and the pub
lie.
It is scarcely outside the bounds of
truth to say that for tN enty-fve years
nearly every legislative act dealing
with business has been predicated
upon the supposition that it is es-
sentially dishonest Search the stat
.utes unweariedly for the same period
and we shall find little or nothing
helpful TO honest industry. Whether
the excess OF this class of legisla-
ton is the effect or cause of popular
error is of little moment II stands
as an unfair indictment of business.
for which IL, inevitably, had 10 pay
the penalty. One cannot be accused
OF blindness to the old abuses In
expressing the belief that had we
been half as Jealous in encouraging
honest industry as we have been in
making It appear dishonest, business
would not be hating in the lace of
other conditions favorable TO prosper
ity, fearful of what the future holds
in store.
Shall we never learn that. under
our form Of government, nothing but
legislative self-control and public
sanity can stand between prosperity
and utter chaos? In a country so
singularly blessed with natural re-
sources, we may not even shift the
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14

That labor is. receiving not only the
largest part, but a rapidly increasing
proportion of the income of the rail-
ways OF the United States, is shown
in analysts by w. A. Worthiagton,
vice-president and assistant to The
chairman of the Southern Pacific, pub
lished in this weeks Railway Age
Gazette. Mr. Worthington shows that
in 1904 labor received 5773 per cent.
OF the total railway income devisible
between capital and labor, whereas,
In 1914, ten years later. II received
no less than 6604 per cent Capital
in 1904 received 4127 per cent while
in 1914 it received only 1896 per
cent While capitals share Of the
income relatively decreased during
this period and labors was increas-
ing. capitals investment in railways
increased 57.13 per cent or from SILL
511 .537,131 to $40 936697 $40, while
the number of employees increased
only 30S1 per cent. OF from 1,296, 121
TO 1895 asa.
Mr. Worthington calls attention TO
a recent report of the National Civic
Federation that in the manufacturing
Industries at the present time labor
is receiving practically two-thirds of
the product and capital one-third
For purpose of comparison he anal
Yves the Interstate Commerce Com
mission statistics 10 show the distri-
button of that part Of the railway
income which Is divsible between
capital and labor.
The gross operating revenue Of the
railways of the United States in 1914
was $3.047, 019.90S From this he de-
ducts all operating expenses except
wages, SS26,S9O ,6S7, and taxes, $40.
5S1,575, which leaves S2,079, 1897 est
available for division between labor
and capital OF this total, S1.373.-
| 422,472 or 66.04 per cent was expend-
ed for wages to labor, and the bal.
ance S706,175.174, or 1896 per cent
was left for capital, available for in.
terest on bonds and other debt. divi.
dends. improvement to property, de.
! probation. miscellaneous expenses
and surplus. In 1904, out of a total
operating revenue of S1,975,l74. 09l
the amount divisible between labor
and capital was 1892, $50, 294. oil
which 1913 per cent was paid fol-
wages and 41.27 per cent was reserv,
ed for capital
Mr.. Worthington's statistics are
presented in a table from which he
draws the following conclusions;
"The return TO capital in 1914 rep,
resents only All per cent. on The
railway investment. whereas in 100.
this return was 499 per cent
Comparing 1914 with 1904. there
was an increase Of 1857. All 1862 ir
railway income available for payinf
labor and for capital purposes. o,
this amount s55,s23 662. or sO.S6 pei
cent, was paid TO labor. and only
S131 ,593,690, or 1914 per cent of the
total remained for capita. purposes
This shows that Of the increment ir
| divisible net income during the ter
years labor received four-ffths and
capital only one-ffth. AS compared
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14
To Latin America

lean colleagues addressed TO the lead
ers in Mexico is the voice of pan-Amer-
lea calling upon a collection of in
dividuals to lay aside selfish aims
and assist in the great task of re-
storing Mexico That appeal cannot
be ignored, and in the end it must
prevail The American republics are
bound together by indissoluble ties.
Their welfare depends upon the pres
ervation of their form of government
against foreign assault or domestic
violence. If one of them were at
tackled by a European power, it would
be the duty of the rest to fly to its
aid. Certainly the United States
would arm itself and go to the rescue
of any such sister republic Now that
one of the sisterhood lies PROSTATE
and dying as afresult of the murder
Gus violence of her own sons, it is
equally the duty of the others 10 as
sist her-not by waging war upon her
or her people, but by eliminating the
causes Of the disturbance and enab-
ling her to arise and recover her
ability TO stand alone.
Venustiano Carranza. by his own
words, stands today convicted before
the world of being the only danger
Gus foe of liberty and good govern
ment in Mexico. His hand is striking
matricidal blows at his own country.
For selfish and pecuniary reasons he
is willing TO sacrifice his countrymen
to starvation and death. He does not
intend to permit good government to
be established. He insolently asks
the United States and Latin-Ameri-
can governments to help him fasten
his dictatorship upon Mexico. This
would be false 10 themselves and TO
Mexico, false 10 psn-Americanism
and cruelty destructive of the Next
can people if they were to listen to
this adyenturer.
Carranza must 20.
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14

unrestricted, individual enterprise, II
neither follows that. because a little
is good, more is better, nor that We
should endanger the whole business
structure by pressing wise thing
TO an unwise extreme. We shall make
no progress by killing the goose that
lays the golden egg; and we are in
danger of losing the salutary results
of that which has been done, by in
viting the reaction which inevitably
follows pushing a good thing too far
That the work of correcting evils
Of q former business generation was
of necessity, destructive. in a meas
ure, is conceded. That business
should suffer in the process of read
iusting itself TO new conditions was
perhaps, inevitable. But, If We are
to participate in the march Of pro-
gress, we cannot forever emphasize
repression, with no compromising
policy Of encouragement. We shall
with better justice, punish business
for its faults. when we have offered
opportunity for its best development
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14
ENTERPRIsING CLUB WOMEN.

AHIDDLETowN's club women are to be commended
IVA for their enterprise They have awarded a con
tract for the construction of New Century Club
building that exclusive of the site, will cost $500
The site given by Mrs. George F. Brady. The
new building promises TO become the social centre Of
the metropolis of ST. Georges hundred. II will play
an important part in the social and civic affairs Of
lower New Castle county.
The New Century Club is good for any community
in which it exists. We have one here in Wilmington
that would be a credit to any community Let us
hope that the organization in Middleovn will
up to its high standards in effort and accomplish
ment
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14

Following the finding of indictments against sew
efai persons alleged TO have been responsible for
Eastland horror in Chicago. Secretary Of Commerce
Redheld has appointed committee to recommend
steps for safeguarding passengers on steamboats, that
operate on the great lakes He also has made i'm
porant changes in the regulations of the Steamboat
Inspection Service designed TO prevent horrors SINH
lar to the that attended the upsettng of the
EastIand II the Department Of Commerce had heed
I'd the complaint filed that the Eastland was top
heavy and unsafe there would have no such hor-
and hundreds Of persons who died miserably in
that calamity would be alive today.
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14
SPIRIT OF THE
DELMARVIA PRESS
sHOULD DO TO RIYER FRnNr.

From the Dover State News.
David Snellenburg. the well known
wilmington merchant in an up-to-
aale advertisement asks the question
where IS Wilmington Going?" we
don't know where it is going. but
would suggest that il buy a one-way
ueket to the Delaware riverfront and
settle there permanently.
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14
DELAwARE's MARKETING


From the Dover Index.
vacation time affords many OF our
people an opportunity 10 appreciate
thelr own State. Delaware il the
fourth richest state. per CAPITA, in
the Union; poverty is seldom met.
But few districts surpass our PENN
sula IN productiveness at the present
tlme and our farmers are but be-
ginning to awaken the possibilities
OF their soil. With the marketing
problem solved, Delaware would be
far richer than she is.
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14

The styles in womens shoes are TO be less bizarre
and expensive. told. In other words. for
more money will get less shoe. This 10 be
universal tendency with the necessaries of life
affected by Democratic legislation.
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14

The Democratic party is blessed with kind
Of perspective In the days of good old Republican
prosperity it could see nothing but calamity, while
that real calamity is present, it nothing but
prosperity This is. indeed. psychology.
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-14
QUARTER DIET FOR


From the New York Sun.
Are the impoverished railroads to
be permitted now to participate
however humbly and at seats how
ever near to the foot Of the tabIe-in
the festal distribution Of benefits
which is to mark the return of ma.
tional prosperity? The allowance by
the Interstate Commerce Commission
yesterday of perhaps one-quarter of
the various advances asked for in the
Western freight rate case is a mildly
encouraging event
Times are changing and even In
terstate Commerce Commissioners
may change in time Who can. be
sure that renewed application in de-
tail by the unfortunate Eastern roads
might not result more happily than
the recent experiment in gross At
any rate, we hasten to enunciata the
self-evident proposition that for the
deserving and the starving a diet
even one-quarter bread and three
quarters cobblestones is more nour-
ishing than a previous menu OF I'M
relieved silica.