Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1916-12-08
THE RAILROAD SITUATION.

ldE HALLWAY OH ~ AllON.
The country never faced a more
serious or reaching issue than now
confronts it over the matter of rail-
way employees wages. The Adamson
law has raised an issue that bids fair
to revolutionize the entire industrial
struture. and the settlement may in
volve the most disastrous labor
strikes in the history of this country.
However it turns out there are some
things that must happen, among
them:
A recognition of the right of hon.
est investors to fair return on their
money. That much the country is
ready to grant, and for its own good,
demand for the railroads. The public
must be willing to pay enough for
freight and passenger service to en-
able the roads to operate at a reason
able profit.
On the other hand the public wants
to know that the railroads are hon.
estly capitalized; that the public is
not mulched to pay interest on inflated
values and watered stock issued to
make millionaires out of stock ma
nipulators.
The public is not certain where
justice lies, and looks with alarm on
the recent political makeshift of an
Adamson law passed as campaign
vote getting measure. What the pub
lie wants is reliable information as to
physical valuations of che roads that
it may determine how much profits
the railroads must have to pay rea-
sonable interest on the investment
and how much is necessary for the
employees of these roads. The public
wants to know all about this issue,
and nothing short of complete ant
fair investigation will satisfy the
public.
The public is entitled to know tn.
facts, and must be made a party tt
any settlement of the railroasd con
troversy because tie public must pay
both the laborers on the railroads ant
investors in railroad securities. Il
there is an increase in the cost Of
operation there must be an increase
in freight and passenger rates unless
the roads, because of watered stock
have been collecting sufficient t.
permit the recent heavy increase il
wages contemplated by the Adamsor
law.
Another phase of the railroad CASE
that ought to be gone into is that Of
the wages of the higher-ups. A rail
way employee recently said he knew
one transcontinental road having a
least two presidents under enormous
salary, and that one ought to b.
enough.
eff the roads will cut out this kin,
of graft" he said," they can stan,
the raise
The Republican doubts this asser
ton, but gives it because it cam
from conductor during the recen
threatened strike.
The public must have all the fact
before it can arrive at an intelligen
conclusion, and congress is now sup
posed to be gathering this informa
tion.
Lastly, the public realizes that /
must be fair with the railroads; tina
the roads must have revenue; that tn
cost of operation, interest on invest
ment, upkeep, etc. must be met GU
of income, and that the public mus
) pay the legitimate cost of freight an
passenger service.
! However, the public. the commo
people, the producers, including GU
, farmers. will not tolerate any holdu
to satisfy the demands of organize
trainmen. The people are not goin
to tolerate government by brut
force, and submit to thug methods Q
railroad regulation. The people vii
, not long tolerate any movement tina
, grants, for political expediency, IA
enormous wage increase unless tn
facts warrant and justify such ir
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