The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-11-23
SAYS RAILROADS
ASK REGULATION
THAT WILL HELP
Roads Hampered BY Correc-
tive Laws That Conflict.
Attorney Says
DECLARES POLITICS
NOW GOVERNS ROADS
B usiness Considerations
Left Out In System Now,
He Contends

view of what is the matter with the
countrys transportation facilities was
presented today to the point congress
fred P. Thorn, counsel for the railway
executives advisory committee.
Mr. Thorn chosen as first spokes-
man for the roads when the COM
mittee decided to begin its inquiry
by hearing their side of the case,
blames the present system of "cor-
rective" regulation divided between
the state and federal governments,
for most of the problems troubling
the public and the carriers. and ap-
pealed for discussion of the neces-
sary changes mot upon any mere the
ory or jealousy as to the distribution
of governmental power, but upon the
-larg issue of what public interest re-
quires.''
Rates, Mr.. Thorn declared, are less
important to public interest than
certainty. safety, suff1ciency of trans
portation" Under present conditions
in which 1.-The railroad business is
largely controlled by political instead
of business considerations" he add
ed, Railroad credit Is so poor and
returns so small That adequate extern
sions Of lines into undeve1oped terri
tory and enlargement of facilities are
impossible"
He said increased transportation
facilities would tend to reduce the
high cost of living by opening up new
country thereby causing increased
production.
Mr.. Thorn pointed out that the
present system of railroad regulation
had its beginning in the abuses OF the
past and was based on the principles
of repression, correction and punish
ment, rather than on constructive
principle. He contrasted this with
the plan OF governmental regulation OF
banks.
The system Of bank regulation"
he said. was born Of the spirit OF
and encouragement In
tended to build up and make adequate
for the American people its system OF
national banks.
1.-The railroads accept the view that
is a permanent and endur-
ing part of the government in Amer
lea and that the first duty OF the car
riers is to the public"
In support of his contention that
1.-The first consideration of the public
is to obtain transportation facilities"
and that "the cost is in reality a sec
ond consideration" Mr.. Thorn de- !
clared that when a nationwide strike |
recently threatened to tie up the rail- |
roads, businessmen would have been
willing to pay almost anything to get
their goods to market" He cited the
present car shortage, the embargoes
last spring caused by inadequate ter |
minal facilities, and added:
THE present systems. Of regulation !
ars entirely adequate to protect the |
public against exorbitant rates but |
are not adequate to insure to the pub |
lie sufficient facilities for it's present |
and future requirements.
LESS than 1000 miles Of new rail- !
roads has been constructed in the |
United States during the past year."
he said, land less than in any year |
since 1S4S, except the period Of the |
Civil war, and yet the cost of living
is daily advancing, owing to short
age of supplies which might be rem
edfed by securing access to new areas |
of production"
AS illustrating the inequality Of
facilities at a time |
when new railroad building has nearly !
stopped, Mr. Thorn showed that while |
New Jersey has thirty-one miles of
railroad per one hundred square miles
of territory, the average Of the United |
States is only 1883 miles and in Idaho
there are only Ss5 miles per one hum
dred square miles. Less than 33 per !
cent. of the natural resources have !
railroad facilities.
"W1ll the undeve1oped states be sat
SIZED to stop railroad construction un- !
Ter such a condition Of Inequality"
Mf. Thorn asked. 1T is impossible for !
railroads to earn enough to supply the |
necessary new facilities from current !
revenue They must be provided from !
credit Investors cannot be coerced
but must be attracted I
Among the conditions affecting rail- |
road credit which deter investors. Mr..
rhom mentioned the following: rail-
road revenues are not controlled by
investors, but are fixed and limited by
authority and not by
one but by several governmental au-
.horttfes, which do not recognize re-
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