The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1919-06-13
Congress Determined 10 Make
Certain Future Growth OF
Transportation Facilities.
PLANS AGREE On PRINCIPLES.
Return OF Roads to Owners With
Assurance OF Adequate
HevenueS.

ting the railroads back on peace
hls.s. These 2ooO0O miles of steel
highways were taken over by the GOV
eminent as un Indispensable arm of
the national defense; but now that
their war service is over. there IS "a
countrywide demand that the Gov
ernmcnt Restore them To their owners
10 be operated on normal American
business standards OF efficiency.
Eut. as has been pointed out by
President Wilson rs well as by many
E.cn in public life who have given
th.s subject years of careful study.
il IS not enough simply 10 say 20 the
railroad companies. Take these rail
reads and give the country the best
transportation service that money and
brains cali provide"
Ole Laws obatruet Growth.
The President recently said that It
would be serious mistake 10 return
10 the old conditions Of railroad regu-
lation without reforming the anti
Quated laws that were ohStructing the
free development Of transportation IA
'AlnNfN- Nv AfiAfAANA 'ffNfAtil va man
roads has recently made an inspection
trip from coast To coast, and he has
been telling the people that the time
has now come 20 put the railroads on
sound foundation
The plans for a better system OF
national control of railroads are "a
varied as were the plans for banking
end currency reform when Congress
received . mandate from the people
ln provide INSURANCE against financial
nanirs The public now demands in
surancc against breakdown of rail-
road tram. lrl'icn. AMI The new Con
grtss Is undertaking. thi> work as sec-
ondary only To Insurance against in
ternafi0rll Warfare. Congress solved
tie banking problem seven years ago
as non-par-iSau issue. in which all
the people HAD common Interest. and
Congress evidently is iackhns the
railroad problem with the same spirit
While the many plans that have
been proposed differ In tie methods
20 be adopted ia reaching the desired
goal. IL has been pointed out by Sena
TOR Cumriins Of Iowa that all these
plans have really very much in com
rina-sp much so that he Is conf lcni
chat Con ress viii have little difficulty
"a frumir2 bin thlt win meet with
popular approval. and THAR will take
The rai'roal question out 81 politics
for many years io come.
May Plans VITA One Aim.
The IOWA senator hats command
ir- pos ii.on in this Congress because hc
IS ne ranking member OF Tie Interstate
Cpmme'- Committee OF ;he United
S.ates ngtc and IL Is n this com
m'flco .nai the new railroad bin will
take hral form IL an address before
national meeting cf business men
Ht 81. Louis Senator Cummins stated
That since the close of the war fully
thirty complete plans for new railroad
legislation had been submitted TO him
hy business men. economists. bankers.
railroad officials and owners. Govern.
nent officials, railroad workers and
just plain citizens.
The basic principles upon which all
Of these plans. with one exception.
agree are as follows:
!. Private operation is more eff
Gent and more economical than
Government operation, and the
public interest will therefore be
served by return Of the roads to
private management
2. To make certain that neN,
capital will be attracted 10 the
expansion Of railroad facilities.
'neFe ought to be greater certain.
" mat a fair return will BE earn
ed on the investment
s. The merging OF weak and
strong roads INTO large COMPETING
systems should be encouraged.
me making Of a formula 20 pro. 7
Nlhc q ihir return on railroad c;iultnl /
seems likely TO be the phase az the /
problem most thoroughly d.hnfed II, /
congress, The Director General has |
been urging that the Gn.omr,.n. /
ought 10 guarantee certain return l
ana share in any excess ,nruln-s. /
Leading bankers especially SONG nf \
me international banhorS m Wau |
street, who have in the past lnarEe.rd /
many hundreds Of millions az railroad |
securities, also look faynnh.y Oh Die |
suggestion of a Government guaran-
ce. which will make 81 oasir- tn sell |
now securities. and viii a.-a sahlil1r |
ag market for the Oh londs and |
stocks
Government Guarantee Opposed
hut the proposal flai ta Govern |
lent shnll guarantee tir a.rf.s. t
it.dcnas on privai" ,.utfni iu,csr-l
10 railroads will ul~r.focly fp..c' |
with very vigorous oplo.tDr Ia nam, !
qus'tcrs. Even railroad crrcu.ls1s
WHO might be- supposed 10 t.,ka finfls !
20 the idea of Governments Msg.n,cc
against failure, have fruna.v ainfcd |
that they do not want II. BE- q lsr they |
believe IL Is un-Amcrican iu r.inciple. |
would tend 10 lessen efficiency. and |
would Involve the roads in a Govern