The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-11-26

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er concern. this was looked upon
with approval although It frequent
" meant undue consideration to the
interest OF other shippers.
Railroad owners OF the period were
less concerned with the adminIstra-
tlon OF their properties and the
standard Of buBineBB ethics than they
are now. otherwise they would not
have tolerated the system whereby
tonnage was frequently handled at
n loss merely for the privilege Of.
hauling it--and OF course without
return upon the Investment nor
could such things as rate wars have
occurred whereby the charges for
service were reduced to minimum,
often to a point where a premium
was offered to secure business.
These policies which prevailed IN
the days when Mr.. Wight began his
railroad career half century ago do
not denote complete Decentralization
of business standards nor dishonesty
on the part OF those who were CON
cerned In them. they were merely typ
ical OF the condition of the times and
the cxtravagauce usually attendant.
upon development projects. It was
before the item of cost became such
an important factor IN the success or
a business.
So what has been said about bust
mess ethics Of the past indicates what
Iconditions were when Charles Stone
Wight became connected with rail
road affairs. Having observed the
changes which have taken place dur
ing the long process Of Cleaning up
big business his reflections on mat
tiers OF this kind are OF rare value
to the younger generation Of bust
ness men. In fact MIR Wight ia
more than that TO the young IN en-
or tile present generatLon%in business;
lie liz u point OF personal contact with
the pioneers who founded the rail
rond systems and their business con
teRporaries. for when he was launch.
Ing upon his career that finally took
him to the highest position in tra1Ilc
circles those then retiring had been
intimately identified with laying tho
foundations or the Country's present
trade supremacy
Far Reaching Changes.
! Chan ges OF such far-reachinE i'm
portance have taken place in the
ethics Of business affairs and rail
road operation during tho period
covered by my connection with
connection with transportation SER
vice" said Mr.. Wight, rehectively,
that in looking back upon them.
one is made almost dizzy BY their
Kaleidoscope raplditY. but a whole
some influence has been exeTted by
the constructive regulation OF gov
ernmental agencies with the coop
Grafton of tho railroad interests. This
has had It's effect in Improving busi-
ness conditions In many ways which
=, t,s- ~,
formation has been gradual but the
Inauguration Of the policy OF coop
erntion between the governmental
and state authorities. the railroads
and business heads has meanta gem
eral advancement which has been in
line with progress,
I'm Il nation rs young MS the
United States 1t WIS to be expected
that practices would creep in during
the course OF It's wonderful develop
ment which would be susceptible to
correction upon sober second thought,
but it stands to the credit Of the
solved their problems in such way
MS to win the admiration OF the busi-
ness world az commercial nation.
Transportation Water
ways. stage lines, railroads and aerial
nayi gation--are primarily for the
purpose of moving persons and goods
from places OF origin to destination"
continued Mr. Wight, therefore In
times gone by there was more con
Germ about development than there
was about methods. This was true
OF business as well as Of Transports
ton 1t was the spirit or the time
When development had reached ~
point where its requirements could
not be taken care OF by the natural
waterways there came the canals aHs
an auxiliary transportation system,
then the stage lines, followed by the
railroads. And now experiments are
being made In aviation which I be-
alieve will result eventually In M oT-.
Ing passengers as well as freight
through the mir. II IS unlikely that.
heavy freight such MS machinery and
fuel Will be handled In this way. but.
undoubtedly there will be some aerial
system perfected to move parcels.
THE relationship OF Transporter
ton to commercial development is
to be seen in the case Of large trade
Ecenters and manufacturing districts
las well as the development Of agrt-
cultural communities and the crea-
l.tion8 OF markets for articles Of COM
nerce.
Trade Centers Grow.
The growth Of trade centers and
fof cities has been due largely to
Illogical conditions. chiefly because #of
their. geographical position and me
4 availability Of raw materials. At
tendant upon these conditions large
| increases In population have resulted
from an Influx Or people attracted
.5by the opportunities for employment
and wholesome living conditions. n
3.order to encourage this trade DE-
lvelonlnent. therefore, the railroads
\ were compelled TO base their rates.
or charges for service, on q scale
I.regarded as reasonable to business
lboth with respect to the cost Of pro
Iduction and the merchandising 81
commodities. Thus there came about