Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-03-07
VANDERBMTS THEORY, SPROULE'S PRACTICE

The Vanderbilt idea of the dealings Of great trans
pOrtation company with the public and duty Of such
corporation toward the masses expressed in his
famous reply to certain question as to what the public
would think, with a curt, The Public be Damned!
This is no longer considered the correct answer.
For years the great corporations Of the United States
conducted this principle. 1t worked all right for
while and then suddenly it ceased to operate The peO-
pie awoke to the fact that they bigger than any
company or any combination of companies.
They refused to "be damned as a steady thing. They
somehow did not like it. and they said so. They said so
emphatcaly that their congressman had to suddenly
sit up and take notice that they not employed by the
corporations although many of them were paid by them
but were public servants and had to obey orders
The result drastic legislation that made the
corporations tired very tired They kicked with the re-
suit that still more drastic legislation was enacted and
corporate life instead of being glad sweet song, be-
came struggle for existence They found that the
tables turned and the people trying their hand
at putting into effect some catch phrases OF their own
one of which was "The Railroads be damnedp The rail
roads like the public did not like being damned steady
diet but they had had their innings and could not get to
bat again.
The big bosses like Vanderbilt had wrecked roads,
watered stock until the owners had to carry it in
bucket fixed rates to suit themselves, gave rebates dd
as they pleased and knew no law but their own WILL
The Sherman law gave them hard jolt and the Great
ing of the interstate commerce commission with super
vision over them and the power to tx rates and compel
their observance death blow to the old order OF
things.
The next Jolt came with the creating of state railroad
commissions with power over railroads within their
states.
The railroads were to blame at first for they pulled
the pendulum of Justice far out of plumb that when
swung back it went to the other extreme and was unjust
to the roads just as they had been unjust to the people
whom they were supposed to serve, but OF whom fhey
attempted to make servants The result was disastrous
to the railroads. and necessarily also disastrous to the
public for injustice cannot be done without its reactmg
on those who do it. This happened to the railroads IN
their first injustice and it also happened to the people
when they in turn became unjust
The pendulum has ceased now to swing beyond ITS
proper arc and business feels the good effects of this
normal condition The people have rights the railroads
cannot infringe without injury to themselves and the
roads have rights the people must respect.
1t is well that we have arrived at this sensible stage III
our mutual dealings The prosperity OF the country de-
pends largely on the railroads and they must be treated
fairly and justly else the people will IN turn suffer from
their own misuse OF them.
Only Yesterday Mr. William Sproue president OF the
Southern Pacific railroad in Salem and before the
state utility commission He came voluntarily because
there was complaint made that Oregon was not beng
treated fairly by his company in the matter of getting
cars for handling its products He promised to correct
this as far as possible at and give Orgons products
a chance to get to the markets few years ago mr.
Vanderbilt or other railroad managers would have applied
the public be damned remedy and that would have been
the end of it, 1t is different President Sproule
came examined into the complaints they were ust-
fed and then he far as he could corrected them inns
so different action is the result Of the dispute now fort
nately settled between the people and the companies
new era of mutual understanding and respect for eaeh
others rights has dawned and bodies well for the whole