The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-14

and Masatlan. The sections which had
materials on hand ready to be laid con-
stituted particularly easy loot.
Roadbeds have been almost entirely
neglected for years. Locomotives are re-
duced to a fourth, perhaps, Of the orig
inal number. n the survivors are ZEN.
orally In bad shape. Freight cars are
similarly reduced. Passenger cars are
almost entirely gone. Inc those which
remain must be rebuilt from truck to
roof. Shops are looted. Discipline 10
completely gone. and the reliable OPP
Grating force. as we'll as management
and financial board. dissipated by the
fatal policy Of Mexico for Mexicans.''
Omitting the added loss in stations,
warehouses. M the like, the problem
OF the railways is serious enough.
Most Have New Cars.
The roads cannot resume without an
enormous amount Of new equipment and
repair work. Both cost money. Mexico
has no one and little credit. The
properties cannot be forced back on the
companies save with q gun for the COM
panies cannot be expected to take back
their ruined properties without a con-
sidcration which bankrupt Mexico can
not give. American companies cannot
be expected to extend temporary aid
save for important concessions, particu-
larry at a time when American compa-
MES are using all their equipment and
spending available moneys on their own
construction. The railway equipment
builders are so we'll booked with orders
that to them. too, Mexico would have to
present a large in~ducement.
I AZ best the railway situation is des-
perate. And yet until the railways re.
sumo Industries cannot resume. Until
Industries resume wages cannot, and UNI
I'll wages return the lot OF the Mexican
people remains a sorry one. Starvation
will return. both because there is no
money to buy food and because there Is
a food shortage. A further reason Ia
that the railway equipment Ia not sum
cent to bring food into important cen
tres in adequate quantity.
And again. until industries resume
government revenues will continue low.
and the government never had sorer need
Of money thar to-day. The whole des-
tiny Of Carransa hangs on a few ravel-
ling threads. and the weakest Of them
Is the railroads.
Why not use to fulle- advantage the
equipment which remains? 90 through
the yards OF any terminal and you can
zee cars in fair numbers. in good shape.
able to be utilised for service. But they
are occupied by the patriots. not for
transportation. but for living. This colo
mel or that has one or two cars In which
~ " " Va ht' ottfNt
The rolling stock which might be
bringing food into a starving capital 10
serving as a residence for n filthy pack
whose members have decided II Is better
to live so than to work. particularly as
every once In a while some ma gringo
merchant thinks he needs a freight car
and Is willing to he blackmailed into
paying a few hundred or thousand pesos
for 1t. The patriot who has obtained a
commission and has not obtained at least
one freight car has lost sight OF "the
high ideals OF the revolution"
Or a General controls a stretch of
railway. He will not let his own cars
of from that stretch lest the next Gen.
eral keep them n deprive him OF his
stock in rade. On the other hand. II he
gets a chance TO stop the other Generals
cars and hang on to them. that is con-
sidered a master stroke-ail of which
goes to explain the difficulty OF expedi-
tious movement of freight rains.
- 4 Question Of Price.
The merchant who wishes TO move
goods must first obtain his car. To dc
that he must needs scout around and
find one. then pay whatever the owner
demands. then get II moved to a load.
ing point. then get his goods aboard and
guard them from theft. then see the
railroad authorities. pay them LIBERAL!
for listening to him. and finally, b,
greasing the palm OF the whole crew
from station jefe to switchman. get the
train made Up.
The nrst job IL done.
The next is to get the train started
and the next is to keep II going through
! various military Jurisdictions until tho
l destination Is reached. n II IL reached
instead OF being made inaccessible by
] wreck or hre or dynamite, the merchant
, IL In luck.
A large shipper of ore who has KEEP
careful account OF all expenses proves b,
his hooks that II now costs him more L
get ore from his Mexico city warehouse
to Vera Cruz than II formerly cost hin
!. to get 1t from the mines to the capital
7 to era Cruz. aboard ship. to New York
and to the smelter in New Jersey. Anc
nine-tenths OF the money expended TO
the short run to Vera Cruz Is graft b!
! the military commanders, OF which
neither the railway nor the Government
ever receives a cent.
: The Mexican looks on It az a matter o
. course. Election or appointment to an!
ONCE 10 considered a species Of license
: The thought Of duty or responsibility
. non-existent. This applies literally I
1 every reld OF endeavor In the entire re
public. and the American or European
I who comes to Mexico with high ideal
and a pride in clean dealings Is locke,
on simply as another Of the extraordi
r nary maniacs from the North.
During the American operation OF tn
roads they were managed far better tina
v the average American road. Equipmen
was good. roahbed was good. Train
4 were on time almost without exception
and graft by operating employees higI
or low was as little known as on an
well managed American road. TIL
: change is d%ismaylng. Trains now ar
never on time. and frequently never rur
), Equipment Is always poor. and employee
e are almost unfailingly completely vena
i Thus have the high ideals OF the revolu
ton expressed themselves.
There II no one In Mexico. save per
haps the fatuous amateurs who consti
= tute the bulk of the Administratio
a who believes the railroads can becom
possible until the properties are restore
to the companies and every last patrio
Is heaved out OF hie sinecure and mad
to work. or at least kept away from til
railroads. Under no conditions will n
Mobilization he easy. but as long as III
Government persists In operating thel
as at present. the railroads will continu
A to depreciate,
a TCODrr{0hf 1915 bv THE SUN aud On