Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-10-11

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PUT WORDS INTO ACTION.

government. To be sure the govern
ment took over the management o
the railroads during the a but II
so doing it guaranteed certain divi
bends and, for many roads, this wa
actually a l~ife-saver. The govern,
ment took over many other lines Of
business, too, and 1t closed many
more, but 1t did not guarantee any
dividends. The stockholders had &c
take their loss as a patriotic duty.
Then, when the railroads were
handed back to private ownership
the government again backed the
railroads with substantial financial
support running up into the billions
of dollars until the railroads could
rehabilitate themselves. Other pri-
vate industries had to get back on
their feet again the best way they
could.
Then, on top of this. the Inter-
state Commerce Commission grant
ed a big increase In both freight and
passenger rates so as 20 assure the
railroads an income sufficient to
make expenses. and then some.
Yes, the government has been
pretty good to the railroads; they
have been treated far better than
m other line of business we know
of.
Now, when one stops to think that
The government consists of the peo-
pie themselves. we realize what the
people have actually done for the
raiiroads-and 1t has all been done
willingly and without complaint. in
spite Of the disadvantages. annoy
ances, delays and increased expense
hat the public has been subjected
10.
But now, as soon as the railroads
Ceegin to feel a little sure of them
selves once more. we begin to see
how grateful they are to the people
for all the consideration the railroads
have received at the hands OF the
public. What little advantage we
we're able to derive from government
tontrol of railroads Is being taken
away from us and only the high
rates, slow trains and exasperating
delays in freight delivery remain.
When the interchange of tickets
between the Central and Pennsyl-
vanina railroads at the station here
was put into effect 1t was accepted
with a great deal of satisfaction. At
last we had secured something we
had wanted for a long time. 1t was
used as an argument In favor of gov
eminent ownership Of railroads. I'm
til the companies got back the con-
troll of their properties they were
very careful to see that all the ad-
vantages of government control were
continued. Now, however. the re-
action has set in. Perth Amboy finds
herself decidedly worse off than be-
fore the war. Not only do we find
greatly increased rates in all lines of
traffic. but there are no improve
ments or advantages to recompense
us for the additional expense.
Will Perth Amboy continue to
submit to this sort of treatment
without any effort In her own be-
half? Here Is a great civic work
hat shows, as much as anything. the
need of a thoroughly alive Chamber
of Commerce.
A letter from the Rev.. DR.. William
p. Cantwell, which the EVENING
NEWS received this morning, shows
what>we believe to be the temper
ment of a great majority of the peo-
pie. The thing now is to put this
feeling into action. DR.. Cantwell's
etter follows:
st. Mary's Rectory.
Oct. 10. 1920.
EDITOR EVENING NEWS:
/ cannot help writing you a line
Of congratulation on Saturdays edi-
torial 1.-The Railroads Challenge"
IT as the boys say, a cracker
jack. 1t would be well IL every
itizen OF Perth Amboy should read
the editorial and imbibe the spirit
which it evinces
You do well to protest against the
recent announcement of the rail-
road management that tickets to
New York are to be NJ longer inter-
c~hangeable on the Central and
Pennsylvania trains. 1t remains a
railroad mystery why Perth Amboy
alone of all the cities or hamlets
along the joint system of traffic
should be deprived of this slight
privilege. Government management
Of the railroads taught us that the
Interchange of tickets is practicable.
Surely what government manage
men. under the extraordinary con-
ditions of a great war. found a
method of providing, the astute rail-
road experts now In charge can
grasp and provide to the advantage
and convience of their patrons.
As the News editorial says-We
get Just as much as we fight for and
this statement makes the best argu-
ment for the existence OF a Chamber
OF Commsrce, which Perth Anboy is
now dead in rne about organic
lng. :.