The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-09-28
Barometer of Public Opinion
A Commercial Trnyclcr.

Editor Worid Have just re1d c. O. Gardner's
article under tho heading OF barometer Of Pub
lie opinion. l don't know whether you will let
a commercial traveller in on this argument or
not but really Gardnor's article makes me sick
In fact it sounds about like a 6-year-old school
boy. II Gardner and others would quit reading
radical publications their minds would no doubt
become clear and they could really comprehend
the real issues Of today. IIo says he does not
uphold the stand taken by you and Attorney
General Daughorty in regard to the strike. OF
course, he does not, for his mind has become
dwarfed by his radical thinking until he cannot
believe that Attorney General Daugherty's ac-
tlons were in favor OF 81 per cent OF the people
and not even against the per cent. No 100
per cent American Is against organized or un-
organized labor 50 long as each man rocog-
nlzes THAI his liberties ends where the other
fellows begins and that every has God
given right as well constitutional! right to
earn hts daily bread. He says II what you say
IL true he has talked to some OF the biggest
liars In the world. he says with few exceptions
they are all for the strikers and says all the
farmers donated food to the strikers. This one
statement alone condemns Gardner, because 1t
proves his ignorance. Tho fact is we have n
few farmers who are also radical III their polit-
ical ana social convictions. also some or our
farmers as well as many others are too ready
to taboo the best papers of our country and In
their stead read nothing but radical dope and
whose editors have but one aim in view and that
is TO prey upon the minds of the weak to enlist
them into one great army for no other pur-
Gardner, don't bar the Tulsa World or any
other good paper from coming Into your home,
for If you viii read them you might yet become
a power for good, for your eyes Will surely be
opened You spoak Of the continued holdup OF
OF the railroads during the war and since. This
again condemns you. II would be folly on my
part to tell you whether or not tho railroads
showed an earning during the war, for wonld
not care TO lose some oue else who might read
this article. Tho present policy OF government
regulation OF railroads is firmly established In
the United states and one only has to read the
Tulsa world and other good papers to become
familiar with these policies.
The development OF our railroads kept pace
with that of other Industries OF the country
until 1910 when the present system of regula-
ton began to be applied with Its fun force.
Since that time It's percentage OF net return
earned by them on their net investment as
shown by their books has gone steadily down
ward until In 1921 II was the smallest of any
year In more than thirty years that the Statistics
been kept'-less than in lS94-thcir develop
ment has gone steadily downward with their
not return.
What does all this mean? It means that as
result OF the legally sound, but economically un-
sound distinction that we make between con-
Germs which do not render public service, we
are directly encouraging the development of
many industries which are highly desirable but
really noncssentlal and directly dlscouraging
the development OF Industries which are abso-
lutely essential As a matter OF fact, we are
encouraging the manufactures OF chewing gum
cigarettes. silk shirts, movies and automobiles
and dscouragng. and actually making impos-
sible the adequate development OF our railroads
| Gould there be anything more mad tnan
encouraging the development OF nonesscntials
and AT the same time restrict to the lowest limit
permitted by constitutional limitations the profits
necessary for fair development OF essentials
The volume OF commerce possible depends upon
| tho volume OF production and the volume OF
production depends upon the amount OF trans
portauon that can be furnished, All our farm
ers will vouch for this statement from their very
recent experiences; some crops having been q
total loss on account OF faulty transportation
our almost uubrOkcn experience In tho toul
years ending with 1890 demonstrated, however
tho time when our production and commerce
| could Increase mora in proportion than uui
means OF transportation had passed. There
never was a time from the beginning OF the yeAi
1917 to the end OF the year 1920 when the rail-
roads could or did handle all the freight Offered
them. The production capacity of our indus
tries is greater now than ever before. Unless
there is speedily an expansion Of our railroads
we can only expect our other Industries to 80
backward from the simple formula that what
! ever any manufacturing plant can produce de
| pCnds on the amount of fuel and raw materials
that can be taken to It and the amount of finish
ed products that can he taken away. The size o.
| crops farmer can grow is limited by th'
| amount he can market and he cannot mar
| ket any larger crops than our transportation
| can move,
Now, Gardner. you and labor union leader
| and persons of soCialisto tendencies may no
! feel deep concern over this article. You ma!
| fancy that the general curtallment of profit
win result In higher wages and other benefit
for labor but nothing could be farther from
| the truth. Increases in employment and In tn
| real wages OF labor are dependent upon tn
expansion OF production, commerce and trans
portaton. You say ~ the workers can separate
the railroads from some OF their il-gotten gain
that you are with them Now, really are you
Form your conclusions from statistics not from
radical dope that has innocenty poisoned tn