The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-08-07

Any discussion q the qu.stionl
Of food supply loads vesy quickly
70 the closely related matter Of
transportation. There u NO one
thing which brings ~ % intermit-
tentiy to critical conditions than
the. insufhciency Of onr transporta-
ton facilities. Both the railroads
and the public are to blame. There
has been no material addition toll
the total mileage in the last 10
years, and the Increase IN terminals
has been much less than required. |
At the beginning Of the war, the
rolling stock was sadly reduced
and inadequate. The public had
not given in pay for service, sum-
cient revenues ON which credit
could be allowed by the banks. :
Moral assistance was withheld be-
cause Of railroad policies that did
not bring approval. Many Of these |
corporations had made themselves
a part Of political activities, local.
state and national. Then there
we're more or less sporadic in
stances of stock-watering Of utility
properties for personal gain.
Abuses were not general. but they
were sufficient to bring the entire
railroad system Of the country
, in disrepute. The good suffered
with the evil. When the transpor-
tation lines we're taken over by the
government, they were barely able
to limp through the task of the
day. Utility in operation. the elm
nation of the long haul, and the
merging Of every mile of track and
terminal and every car and engine
! into a co-ordinated plan of opera
ton, enabled the government to
| transport troops and supplies, at
the same time affording. under
great stress, a satisfactory outlet
for our industries. 1t should be re-
membered in this connection that
except f.r the motor truck which
supplemented transportation by
rail, and except for the great pipe
lines which conveyed oil for COM
mercial purposes, we should not,
in all probability have been
able to throw our deciding strength
into the balance and win the war
Any attempt to discredit the fed
eral operation of railroads during
the years of grave emergency is
unfair. In the case Of those who
know the facts. it is insincere. Toe
P, much cannot be said in praise OF
: those who directed this. work. mol
of the men who physically operated
! the lines under the discouraging con
ditions of poor equipment. But al
l of this is water over the wheel. The
, problem of the railroads is still
! with us. The government and thu
public should render every coop
Grafton in the utmost good faith, tt
!. give thorough test to private own
: ership. The railroads have hat
!; their lesson. Government regula
!. ton is accepted now as not only
\ safeguard to the public, but as
4 conserving process to the utility
Il Financial credit is necessary t
q physical rehabilitation and it shout
o be sufficient for the periods OF max
l. imum demand.
= Water Transportation.
Il We should not lose sight. how
q ever, of the vast possibilities 9
J. supplementary service by watei
IS The Great Lakes and st. Lawrenc
\ navigation project particular.
- should claim the interest OF tn
~ government. About one-third
~ our states would be supplied wit
~ +, an outlet for every ton of their e.
~ ports. The opportunity to make
!; the lake harbors great ocean por'
> of entry is inspiring to contempla'
~ In the crop-moving period, the ca
on the railroads is staggerln
Grain piles up in the elevator
With stagnation more or less gel
" eral, the farmer sells his produ
IL under the most unfavorable cond
rs tons. The trackage and the tern
re inals in middle states particular
II reference with local movements
ne reference with local movements
'ir freight is inevitable. The solutit
ne would be simplified by utilizing Il
w. waterways. Aside from this, Z
u accruing gain from every cr'
ne would be a consideration for 4
re reason that the price OF grain
g. this country is made by the Chic
=. go market and it is determine
"a the London quotations.. The PR
~ ~ in the British metropolis is a stat
nd figure less the cost Of transport
n ton. The routing Of these col
" modities by water would effect
saving of approximately s cents
bushel, which means that Americ
ie- grain would net just that mu
w more.
Ter The Federal Reserve Act.
Vs. For more than forty years
10 fore woodrow Wilson was elect
.u president in 1912. a reform OF Q
. ~. banking and currency system q
.n been almost universally demand
aI- and had been year after year
~. ferred or refused by the stand-l
~ element Of the Republican pa
mr. in obedience to orders. The &
70 troll of money and interest ra
TOR had long been held by favo'
,ic- groups who were thus able
mi dominate markets, regulate pric
md favor friends, destroy rivals, p
viH cipitate and end panics and In sh
the through their financial. social
elm political outposts, be the real 7
xa- ers of America. The federal
lid serve act was originated. ad
nth Gated and made a Law by a Del
In cratic president and congr'
sed against the bitter proeeses "
and Republican stand-pa1tefs' VIM
lids most without exception w