Arizona republican., 1922-05-27
SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 27, 1922
Liberalism is the trust of the peo-
pie tempered By prudence; conserv-
atism, distrust of the people tenn
pered by fear. Gladstone.
A Puzzle for the Laxman

is a common thing for one who has had no
experience in the intricacies of an enterprise to
believe that he can manage it better than it is being
managed by those who have had special training
for it. For instance. newspaper and hotel
keeping have special lure for the inexperienced.
But occasionally the point of view of the trained
operator becomes obscured and he less clearly
than the average of common on the out
side is ordained that out of the mouths Of babes
and sucklings wisdom may sometimes come
One of the inexpicable things is the attitude of
railroad men toward rates. They claim be losing
money. at least, to be receiving inadequate
from their present rates. They admit that there
is lack of traffic and that possibly lower rates
would result in a greater volume of traffic We
know that couple of years ago it shown to them
in the Washington hearing in the hay and grain
case that there were in the valleys of Arizona alone
alfalfa whose movement at the rates asked for
they would receive in freight something more than
800 o-st75O0o recall. At the then existing
rates it could not at all but would be left
standing in the fieldto rot to be fed locally and
at the time TO discourage alfalfa growing for
the next season.
It may be that the railroads were holding on to
these obstructing rates in the hope that time
commodities would have to move in spite of the
rates We see how conditions might arise that
would force them to /se-by an enforced increase
OF prices But before that could come about there
would be a decreased production.
1t has been discovered, however, by the rail-
roads that SO long as the rates are stationary COM
modities stationary so that now there is dis
position to see what can be done about lowering
freight rates. Railroads have to be maintained at
great expense. even when business is slack. Rail-
road owners seem at last to have become convinced
traffic cannot forced; it has to be tempted
by favorable offering.
During the period, when passenger fares
raised to the highest point known and
every possible sort of charge was pyramided upon
them passenger traffic became the greatest ever
known. At the time more money was being
spent in every direction People buying $40
silk shirts who had never before worn them when
they could have been bought for one-fourth of that
price
When the silk-shirt mania ended the whole
money spending mania ended The makers and
sellers of silk shirts Immediately perceived that the
end had come and silk shirts at once fell fifty per
cent The railroad people kept up their passenger
fares in spite of empty trains and they doing
so yet
Not long ago distinguished railroad president
stated that fares must come down; that for lack of
patronage the passenger business being at
loss; as possible therefore passenger fares
would be reduced, of course to attract travel and
bring profit. All this be done as the
railroads could afford to do it.
Now. in any other business, if a losing
is recognized the proprietor afford Immediately
to stop it,
If people had money to spend for unnecessary
travelling and most of our travelling is unnecessary
should like to have them spend it for the profit
Of the railroads in order that they might reduce
freight rates to encourage freight movements
which are necessary But it has been demonstrated
the satisfaction of the railroads that the people
will not fill half fill trains at the
ent rates.