The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1917-02-01
Is Railway-Buildin
To Be Revived?

national growth. An editorial writer
in Engineering and Contracting
Chicago, December 20) reminds us
that the railroads will always be the
greatest agents in developing farm
lands, and we have many regions
that need such development. Most
Of the land in Texas. for instance.
remains almost worthless for lack Of
it. Territory already tributary to
the roads needs branch lines as feed
ers and the building Of them will
doubtless be the first stage in the
coming railroad boom-if 1t IS COM
ing. Political cataracts" over the
eyes of the public are blamed for
holding it back. We are SO blind,
the writer thinks. that we can now
scarcely see the real worth of rail-
ways as the developers Of agricul-
ture. He says.
Were 1t not for two things, one
political and the other semi-politlcal,
| We sDOulu pt nv"
a great migration of capital into
the railway field; for the growth of
the country districts has not kept
pace with the growth of the cities,
and there is a very evident lack of
transportation facilities. But capital,
while keenly sensible of the need of
more and better railways, is fearful
of not being able to get its reward.
State railroad commissions, particu-
llarly in the west and south, have
hammered at railway rates for ten
Years, and still hammer. The Inter
Estate Commerce Commission has
limited powers, and is so overloaded
with work that the railway investor
sees little assurance of getting both
prompt and adequate regulation OF
rates from that source. Finally,
there has come the menace of labor
troubles on a gigantic scale, with a
dose of political soothing-sirup that
, would gag a mule.
'In spite of all clouds, there is a
sun shining behind them. and the
: sun is the economic necessity for
: more and better transportation facil'
titles. The nations railway-clothes
fit II too soon'-and the pants are
up to the knees and its childhood
vaccination marks clearly visible
= through the skin-tight coat-sleeves
Everything that is of the railroad Is
oppressingly restrictive, and some
: thing has got to bust. What sean
will rip first we don't know, but We
are certain that rent must star
: somewhere and soon"
At present. the writer goes on t'
say, railways are trying to influence
Congress to do away with State re
gulation of rates and to turn this ov
err entirely to the Interstate Com
merce Commission. But the OLE
lState-right theory blocks such
change. Nevertheless, the moyemen
Is well under way, and there
4 probability that the present Con
4 eress will do something radical. II
: quote again:
n Whatever is done will undoubted
4 lly serve to restore confidence Il
railway securities as safe invest
ment. 1t needs restoration OF con
fidence, and nothing else, to star
new and great ailway-construc
ton period. AS indicated In anothe
editorial in this issue, electrihcatio
of existing steam-railways Is prof
ably the most pressing change. II W
except engagements and changes
terminals and means Of loading an
unloading freight quickly,
"The next step will be the buii'
ing of new branch lines as feede'
a. to existing trunk lines. This WI
N omen up some new territory, put th'
ID "a of far less economic consequent
ia than halter development OF territoi
now tributary to railways. Brane
d. lines are too far apart in the mi
e, iority Of agricultural states
l. some of the states. notably Texa
20 there are so few railways that mo
t. of the land remains almost wort
&c less,
x railroads always have been. al
T. In spite of the automobile, alwa'
ne will be, the greatest agents in efee
,r. ing development OF agricuitur
O. lands. For some peculiar reaso
the public has let political catarac
re grow over its eyes till 1t can scare
sh ly see the real worth OF railways
a general developers OF agricultui