The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-07
PUBLIC AND RAILROADS.
Employees Must Be Compelled TO Re-
spect the Peoples Needs.

N increases under duress on previous
occasions 1t is time for the public to
take the entire railroad situation
under careful consideration with a
view to such action in the premises
as will be best and Just to all parties
concerned. We are apt 10 forget that
without the roads the country could
never have been developed. its life
carried on. or its bushes transacted.
at the present time they have come to
lie so much a matter of coarse. II is
forgotten, too. that hundreds Of mill
ions Of capital have been sunk and
wholly lost to It's owners in obtaining
for us our wonderful transportation
facilities. and IL seems to he forgotten
as we'll hat a great many hundred
millions are needed to-day for ex-
tensions and improvements.
Z Where IL II 10 come from? No one
can be compelled to furnish II. and
every one who is requested to do so.
II he is ordinarily prudent. should
realize fully the conditions under
which he does II. II he puts his
money into manufacturing or bust
ness he knows that his return will he
subject to the natural laws Of COM
merce only: hat II the cost OF the
material he uses increases or If the
wages go up he Is at perfect liberty
indeed. he IL eNpected-to put up the
price of his commodity correspond
irgly. In no other way can business
lie successfully carried on or capital
receive a just return. The man who
puts his money into railroads. on the
other hand. Is told that as they per-
form a public function they must he
subject to the most drastic govern
mental regulation. and absolute power
is lodged in the hands If seven men
at Washington. complicated by the
control Of numerous state boards. to
say what his investment shall pay.
or whether II shall pay anything.
Look AT what has happened since tho
Interstate Commerce Commission was
established.
The cos, NJ labor and Of all ma
ter;a's has risen very much and the
cost Of Their combined resulting prod
ucts has risen correspondingly and as
a matter Of course. The commodity
the railroads furnish is transportation.
h cost Of providing 1t has risen
enormously. but the seven men have
as a RUE stuhhornly refused 70 per-
NIT the roads % add a single penny
TO the price Of what they furnish.
taking them wholly u Of the opera
t.on Of the laws ~ trade. which all
other activities have the benefit OF.
Furthermore. they have insisted on
a large and constant outlay. doubtless
needed. for better equipment and
safety appliances; the public az the
same time has clamored for more and
faster trains, and the unions have no.
only forced n steady increase Of pay
already larger M more certain than
most employees receive, hut they
make and enforce by threats Of
strikes such rules in regard To en-
p,oyment, discharge. promotion and
hours as practically TO take the
operation Of the road into their own
hands. holding themselves not amen
able 10 discipline or regulation on
the part ~ the management. \ man
may well hesitate before he puts his
money So absolutely out Of his own
control.
Now il Is evident that the public
demands and is entitled 70 better IA
c%ilit!es. more roads. more double
tracks. heavier and better rails steel
passenger cars and numerous other
co~nven!ences and safety a~pp,iances.
but to get them il must adopt such a
J policy toward the roads as to attract
investments TO them. and make II
safe and remunerative. There has
been too much trying 10 go, something
for nothing BECAUSE tho roads arc
subject to legislative control nil
classes have combined while e>ac,inr
the utmost possible for their own
commodities. to force TRANSFORMATION
down 10 rates which the courts have in
many instances set aside AS conasca-
tory. Such a policy is suicidal. I, l.
killing the goose. I, VIII promote
every ones business 10 have ars.
class, reliable. safe Transportation. and
every one instead Of irving Ia CT, the
roads to the bone and cripple them
should treat them with the generous
consideration and iust,c. which ,heir
INDISPENSABLE ,mportance 70 tho cou-
munity entities them 10.
There Is evidence a, a decided
change Of mental attitude toward the
roads on the par, OF the public. I,
is not 10 be denied tina, in some cases
they have heen arbitrary and exar,inp
any more than 4. "a 10 he denied thar
they have been COMPELLED TO protec,
themselves against organized hands
Of legislative robbers in many Of the