The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-12-09
Progression and Murder.

believes in commission and commits
sion rule. 1t does some things well by
commission, but there is one complaint
that is always raised against commits
sion rule and that is that it is too slow.
1t might be carrying things pretty far
to say that the railroad commission of
Wisconsin was guilty of the murder Of
G.. G. Schulze, prominent and progress
sive Kenosha business man. But it the
Wisconsin Railroad Commission had
listened to the complaints of the peo-
pie Of Kenosha and shown anything
like speed in providing proper protec-
ton for these people 9. G. Schulze
would probably have been saved for
a long life of usefulness. That man
whose life was snuffed out yesterday
was valuable member to the com
munity He had the right of reason
able protection in the pursuit of his
business and in pursuit of happiness.
He did not have it. Had the crossing
at Salem avenue been protected with
gates or if the company had even en-
ployed flagman there G. G. Schulze
would not have been killed
When the railroad commission sent
it's representative to Kenosha weeks
ago facts were shown to warrant an
immediate action on the petition for
crossing protection. The commission
er probably filed these facts and when
the commission gets time they will be
taken up and disposed of. May be the
commission will order flag man. May
be it will hold that the conditions do
not warrant the complaint of the Of
Gals of the city,
Whatever the order may be it can
never bring back the loss that the city
and that an immediate family has felt
in negligence in protecting grade cross
ings. The Chicago and Milwaukee can
purge itself by the payment of money
damages. There is no way to collect
from the state for the delay Of it's
agents which made just such an acct
dent possible.
Of course, the commissioners will de-
clare that they are burdened with work
and that it takes time to get out orders
for protection and there will be any
number Of other excuses, but if the
state has not enough people to proper
ly take care of the work that it has
taken upon itself then let it give the
local communities wider power of self
protection.
The commission holds that it is the
real body to dispose Of just such mat
ters but it does not dispose of them.
1t may be year before another man
loses his life at an unprotected grade
crossing and it may be only a day.
The railway company operating cars
over this line has not shown great
deal of interest in the protection of
human life. Tt seems to be mostly in
terested to getting out of the hands of
a recelvership. Dividends which are
earned at the cost of lives of people at
unprotected crossings can be consider
ed only as dividends stained by human
blood.
Wisconsin may be progressive, but
commission rule is not sufficiently pro
gressive. The first thing that should
be done is to make the railroad com
mission big enough to permit it to de-
eide these cases and decide them with
dispatch. It's matter of life and
death to lot of people. Just about the
time that the state should be on the Job
is when the lives of its people are
at stake.
There is no blame to be placed at
the doors of local officials on account
of this deplorable accident. Nothing
could be done by these people that
has not be done. They had waived
notices and everything else and had
pleaded with the railroad commission
for speed in furnishing protection to
Ktnosha. The officials hands are
clean In the matter. Even althouoh
the matter was in the hands of the
commission aldermen had plead with
the officials of the company to employ
temporary fiag men to protect this and
similar crossings. Even temporary
protection was denied.
Y. q. Schulze was a public spirited
man, man who saw much of the best
IN lie and a man who wanted to have
the lives of people protected and he
has made the supreme sacrifice. 1t is
TO be hoped that the cruel killino of
thus man is not in vain and that If will
awaken those who have power to act
TO the real needs of Kenosha. Cross.
ing protection is one step in advance.
Elevation of all tracks is the ultimate
Telegraphing orders will not take
the crepe from the door of stricken
nome nor will it take away the feeling
that the state itself is guilty of that
CRIMINAL negligence which makes dol
lars the cause of the death of it's
citizens.