The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-07-31
barometer of Public Opinion
Tho Kailrnnd'- Sidc


EHI"r "oild read with much intoroat tho
editorial in ,he world OF july 28th entitled
r"'d' Fhr World / ar, sure would not in
i'u'NiE leave uu erroneous Impression on the
uunNr mind. aud / respectfully ask. therefore.
,l'i IhC attention "i your readers hc drawn to
the preliminary report of tho Interstate COM
mere" c"Wwi'sI"u ON the tdluc of al,Si3 miles
"' 'i'' ,'' iu Nilnhs parts OF IN" country,
Whi,h shows Thar m" railroads are not over
loaded Th' Interstate commerce" commission
p.1''H the book value Of those limos AT f3.ltS,-
2.3.I"G, Whilc the reproduction value ~ OF
IVA I" iN"d n t32o3.7N2,di3, or ii5,I07.3s7
moro than the book value. \ few short lines
known a' feeders" carried a book value slight
N greater than the estimated cost Of rcproduc-
tlpu. but th,ro was mo-, "A single Instance of a
main Iu' Whoa" book value was as great az
ih. actual worth Of IA" road.
u. T. Ripley n'" president of the Santa Fc.
was ordered hy congress. that the final report
would sh"" That ih'r" was no watcrcd stock
In ih" railroads. notwithstanding the charRcn
nude 10y r"h''Au' ana others that they worr
capitalized for billion dollars more than they
were worth. Mr. Ripley asserted that the cos
OF lhe Naluniion would he around $50,0Oo,OO0
ih" actual ousi, according to tho interstate
commerce commission, Is around s53,OoO.O0O.
ot which the United States government will pay
SltOoo,0OO, ana the railroads of the country
$3Eooo,0o0. Finding out that the railroads
are not overloaded ~ far as their capital IL
concerned has been an expensive Churc, bui
education generally comes high.
In u reference to President IGardlnss recon.
m"ndauou about a final settlement with tho
rnilrpads for the use or their property during
the war the World said the country was be
less f"rdins OF the railroads from the public
trcnsury'
The cas-, OF the railroads was similar to thai
OF the soldier who returned from France. his
Job gone, and his girl married to fellow who
had claimed exemption. when the horrors Of
war came upon US. military necessity demanded
IN" Immediate mobilization Of two great forccs
tho young men Of the country FOR the army.
navy ana air service, and the railroads of tho
country for the transportation Of troops, mu-
nittnns and supplies ot various kinds The gov
orumCnt reached out It's strong hand and took
tho boys Then II reached
tho railroads. No questions were asked I'VE
need YOU" said Uncle sam. and tho rcsponsc
was prompt ana unanimous After two years
the boys who were fortunate enough to escape
whole were released, and tho railroads also
Holcrs for thir service the smallest rate Of pay
for which any class Of workers lahorcd during
the war The houtblack In the hotel made two
or 'hre" times az much money as did the sol
dior who faced death the bittlCficlds of
Europe. Tn" government also allowed the
lhW"hds as rental Tor their property the small
est return recorded for any business conducted
during the war Thousands of holders OF rail
road shares received nothing on their Invest
mru.s, come received as high as six per cent.
The average was four per cent That was tho
extent to which tho guycruncut "rcd" the rail-
roads, and good deal OF the feed Is still
due. No other husuc4s was conducted during
the war ON return SO low as that OF the rail-
roads.
The government spent a considerable sum OF
money for terminals and other improvements
while using the railroads to win the war. For
inns we IhIrotds hust reimburse the govern
n'n, Hnt II ihc tmproyements had been made
'A AIt lhHl''NH lIlrN WuNli nave bcen paid Tor
with now capital derived from the sale Of bonds
running for term of years President Hard
inEs recommendation is to permit the railroads
iu hiN" the same time for making the REIN
hurS'm"nt that they would have had for paying
tho dcbt had il been contracted In tho usual
way. His proposal also includes immediate pay
Wtut OF the balance due the railroads for rent.
n7 Ia order that they may hc tn position to
meet their current bills, but more matcria Is
and thus hc factor i'm that revival Of business
for which every body ~ praying.
Yours truly
j. r. FARRELL.
Editor ''rhe Earth"