The Keota news., 1920-08-20
Democratio Candidate Would
Enter League, Immediately
Ratify Treaty and State In.
terpr6tation Of Covenant.
SAYS "BACK TO THE
NORMAL" MEANS REACTION
Continued from our last issue
Railroads and Waterway.

Continued from our last issue
Railroads and Waterway.
"Any discussion Il the question Of
food supply leads very quickly to the
closely related matter Of tranaporta.
tioh. There II DO one thing which
brings u 70 intermittently to critical
conditions than the Insuniciency Of our.
transportation facilities. Both the
railroads and the public are TO blame.
There has been NO material addition
to the total mileage In The last ten
years. and the increase In terminals
has been much less than required. Al
the beginning Of the war the rollin.
stock was sadly reduced and made.
qunte. The public had not given In
pay for service sufficient revenues 0n
which credit could BE- allowed BY the
banks. Moral assistance was withheld
because Of railroad policies that did
not bring approval. Many Of these
corporations had made themselves
part Of political activities, local. state
and national. Then there were more
OF less sporadic instances Of stock va.
tering operations, and the exploitation
q! utility properties for personal gain.
"Abuses were not general. but they
were sufficient to bring the entire rail.
road systems Of the country In dis
repute. Tho good suffered with the
evil When the transportation lines
were taken over by the government,
they were barely able to limp through
the task Of the day. Unity In opera.
tion. the elimination Of the long haul.
and the merging Of every mile Of tract
and terminal and every car and -.
K.me into . co-oriinnsed plan Of op.
GRAFTON. enabled the government to
transport troops and supplies. At the
ss'nse time afOrtllnx. under great
strs.sss. . satisfactory outlet for our
Industries. Il should be remembered
In this connection that except for the
motor truck which supplemented
transportation by rail. nnd except for
the great pipe lines which conveyed
oil for commercial purposes, W.
should not. In oil probability hnve
l'een able to throw. our deciding
strength into the balance and win the
war. Any attempt to discredlt the
federal operation Of railroads during
the years Of grave emergency 10 un.
fair. In the case Of those who know
the facts Il 70 insincere. Too much
cannot b said In praise Of those who
directed this work, nor Of the men
who physically operated the Tines un.
der the discouraging conditions Of
poor equipment. But all Of this In
water over the wheel. The problem
Of the railroads II still with us. The
government and the public should
render every cooperation In the Ut.
most good faith. to give thorough test
to private ownership. The railroads
have had their lesson. Government
regulation 10 accepted now a. not only
safeguard to the public, but a.
a conserving process to the utility.
Financial credit Is necessary to ply.
steal rehabilitation and II should be
suflicient for the periods Of maximum
demand. We shonld not lose sight,
however. Of the vast possibilities Of
supplementary service By water. The
Great Lakes and st. Lawrence navi.
Cation projeet, particularly. should
claim the Interest Of the government.
esdseaI Reserve System.
TT 10 almost unnecessary to speak
OF the Federal Reserve system In con.