The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1921-09-13
FOR POLITICS ONLY


The following is a portion of letter
written by the late Epes Randolph, pres.
ident of the Southern Pacific Co. of Mex
leo and the Arizona Eastern Railway, TO
Congressman Carl Hayden at Washing
ton. The letter is dated August 18, 1921,
four days before Mr.. Randolph's death,
and is probably his last written express
sion on great public issues. BY reason of
the great railroad mans intimate connec-
ton with the development Of the west
and his knowledge of its resources and
the necessity for their development, we
are reproducing his letter as it appeared
in the Los Angeles Times August 20, 1921
Epes Randolph, in this letter, slunmariz-
ed the problem before this nation in
few short words "For Politics Only" He
has probably done no greater good for
his country than in leaving this letter. 1t
is worth reading and it is worth publish
ing 1t hits straight from the shoulder
and does not mince matters. 1t shows the
understanding this man had of industrial
questions and it also shows that business
in this nation has too often been side
tracked for politics, to the detriment of
the country. 1t reads:
There is an insect in certain parts of
Mexico called the alacran The female of
this species gives birth once in her life
time to dozen or more infant alacrans
who Immediately climb upon the body
Of the mother and subsist upon her until
she is no more.
When Socialism first blossomed in this
country the railroads belonged for the
most part, to a few men. The demagogue
politician thought it fine scheme to i'm
ltate the baby alacrans, jump on the Hun
ington and Hills and suck the lifeblood
out of the railroads because these wicked
fellows had dared amass fortunes. The
work was quickly done, but the doors for
got to stop when railroads. no longer rep
resented individual fortunes.
The late + H. Hartman induced the in
vestment of several hundred million dol
lars in the Southern Pacific and other
western roads, and thus gave to the PEG.
pie of this country the best transporta.
ton system the world has ever seen, and
at the lowest rates for service. Mr. Har-
riman's ownership in the Southern Paci
fic as shown by the company books, was
HOO shares of stock par value 500. His
efforts caused the country to prosper as
it had never prospered before and Incl
dentally earned modest dividends for tht
$4,000 owners of the company's securities
many of whom were widows and orphans
Mr. McAdOo, in one year only, put this
great transportation system, which it re
CURED thirty-five years of brain and en-
ergy TO create "on the bum" and your
very constituents are today crying out
for relief Why did McAdoo do this
The answer is, For Politics Only, and HI
didn't get the Job 1T that.
tREDICAMENT OF RAILROADS
The rancher today gets all the labor HI
wants for 10 cents an hour and other.
stand by begging to work at the same
rate. The railway company is forced by
law to pay the same type of labor, engag
ed Just across the fence from the farmer
"a cents an hour Why is this? For Pol
itics Only
When will you lawmakers give youl
constituents proper relief? Ny guess il
you will do so when the reason shall be
come For Politics Only and not before. Ii
other words, when the great mass of vot
ers wake up and learn that railroad head
quarters are located in the capitol a
Washington and not in San Francisco
TuscOn or elsewhere as they now believ,