The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1922-11-27
MONDAY, NOVEMBER ~. 1922
A NEW ERA HERE

~ abundant raw material arc
drawing to the Pacific coast many
new Industrial enterprises. The
past twenty years has seen a TWEEN
ty-fold increase in manufacturing
on this coast. and no one knows
what expansion the next twenty
years will bring.
We know the expansion will be
vast. Actual magnitude depends
much on the transportation dew
elopment OF the future. Despite
eheap sites. raw material and un-
developed power possibilities that
have always existed. inadequate
transportation has always been
hamperlng obstacle in the way OF
manufacturing I'm the west.
In the readjustment Of trans
portatioa systems and methods
which the Interstate commerce COM
mission Is now undertaking. under
the powers tonferrend by the Esch-
Cummlns act, western industry de-
mands that fullest consideration be
given to Its present respectable
standing and Its immense future
possibilities.
Al this distance from the present
hearing in Washington. 8; seems
that this point Is being missed. Old
precedents and old traditions are
being made much Of. Our under
standing OF the 1920 act is that II
was passed to break the yoke of
precedent. and cast off the shackles
OF tradition.
In the old days. when the west
was a succession OF vast grain
fields and unfenced cattle range
from the western edge OF the Rock
les TO the sea. the railways ae-
aulred the habit OF picking out like
ly areas. labelling them Union Pa
eific territory" Southern Pacific
territory" etc.
Around these they sought 10 cast
wall OF restriction. designed 10
keep out iali competitors. while
they proceeded TO extract revenues
for all the traffic would bear.
In those days OF scant capital.
when the undeveloped west lent
no security to the undertaking, this
was justifiable policy-perhaps.
But n new era is here. and the
policy OF the pioneer days must
pass with them.
What might have been necessary
discrimination against the people OF
the west in the first few decades
OF railway construction. Is no longer
good business.
And. in dealing with the vests
transportation problem, II must not
be forgotten that the people. and
not the railways pay the bills.
That n common carrier is but
the agent OF the people, subsLsting
on revenues collected from the peo-
pie In freight and passenger rates.
and not the dictator OF the peoples
destin.es that II once was-in a day
that the Bourbons among the rail-
way executives do not seem 10 know
has passed.
The railroads OF today. and the
railroads OF tomorrow more so,
must realize that the day when the
carrier could placate a mistreated
people by promises OF building
new station here and there along
the line, is gone.
Tho people are doing their own
building, and towering factory
chimneys. dotting what fifty years
ago were desert wastes. or at best
grain fields. attest their diligence
To get the raw products of the
forest. farm and mine TO these fac
tories and the finished products
from the factories to the markets
of the world calls for modern trans
portation methods; calls for the
down of all restricting
walls and barriers, and the open
Ing OF the western gateways to all
carriers who care TO come through,
subject. Of course. TO regulation OF
he Interstate commerce commits
sion. based on the rate OF expan-
Ion of growing western industrial