El Nuevo mexicano., 1916-04-27

~ RA"Nt|AN+A EHRKFH W~TWR ||"FTf
This Is what Recieyef Ralph G. e
ly told the assembled railroad men
and shippers 1T the state eOrporatio
n commissions intrastate rate hearing
here, when he was called on for an 9
~xpression as to the effect d feadjust-
ment Of rates would have on his roa
d. In addition, he took occasion to
declare that New Mexico needs additi
onal railroads more than II needs
railroad regulation; increased avenue
s Of trade more than reduced rates,
In his talk at the hearing Receiver
Ely said.
II came here as a listener this
morning, and not as an adviser, There
would hardly seem to be anything
which / could offer growing out Of
our peculiar conditions on the New
Mexico Central which would be help
full 10 the deliberations Of this COM
mission. or pertinent to its inquiries
as TO conditions which affect rates
that may be applicable on u great
system OF road. More than the ID. g.
r. g., ours is a peculiar railroad.
There ID nothing like 1t in the heav-
ems above, nor the earth beneath, nor
In the waters under the earth. Its ups
and downs are financial as well as
physical and the only excuse for Its
existence is found in the necessities
Of the sparsely scattered people along
its line. Conditions which NAV be
true as affecting the great Santa Re'
the Rock Island, the Southwestern
and the Rio Grande 81 stems, are for
eigh t0~our experience. The .seDsa-
tions which are common to therc, like
the payment Of their taxes, the inter;
est ON their bonded indebtedness and
dividends on their stock issues, are
totally unknown to us. These great
railroads compete In the vast field Of
commerce with one another. and With
other systems equally great but We
find our chief competitors to be the
mule team and the Ford car; and any
rate which we can make that Is less
expensive than these, or n service
that We can render that is more expe-
ditiOus, is correspondingly beneficial
to our patrons.
"Ouf problems are not only prob
lens Of traffic, but of finance; We
are confronted by the fact that the
road. as it is, is a thing Of no value
til it's owners. 1t has no present
earning power. and without extern
Isi5fs il has no hope Of developing an
earning bower. 1t enters the finan-
ciai world as a d~iscredited petitioner,
a supbliant, seeking recognition and
support where 1t can urge no reason
In itself for either, and II seems i'm
possible to get for enough away from
home to find a place where naughty
stories regarding it is not circulated.
Refinaneing this road is a good deal
IKE marrying off a hayward daugh-
ter. YOU can't do it in your home
town, and 1t Is hard to move far
enough Or fast enough to escape her
reputation.
Our experience, however, and our
necessities, in this connection, may pe
Of value to this commission, because
the position which 1t takes as the rep
resentatfye Of our people is not only
l~Vitally important to the New Mexico
Central in it's ~endeavors to bring
about a reorganization and place its
securities, but 1t Is equally important
Ga the great railroads Of our common.
wealth from which we likewise hope
for development. ANYTHING that looks
like radicalism as expressive Of the
attitude Of the people of u state TO-
ward investments In railroad securl'
ties must be avoided. New Mexico
needs more railroads more sorely
than 1t needs railroad regulation; i
needs increased avenues for trade
more than 1t needs reduced rates; j
needs spurs and extensions and con
nectiols; and just as truly as New
Mexico and its people need these
things for the development of our re-
sources and the marketing Of our pro
ducts. so do the Santa Fe; the South
western, the Rock Island and the Rle
Grande need those same spurs and ex
tensions and connecting lines to fur
nish traffic to their great trunk lines
add to their tonnage, and thereby IN
crease their gross revenues. Our ~
terests-the interests Of the railroads
and OF our people-are absolutely
identical. A reduction of rates with
out i corresponding increase In tbs
volume of business means an newt
able loss to the carrier; and an IN
crease in the volume Of business
means decreased cost per ton mile O
per passenger mike, which will ulti
mately and inevitably result in ths
1880 ,o5t3nttnn If fhe eoSt of thesf