, 1923-05-08


situation that furnishes much
"Our commercial fGteries
son, 'and I am not at all sure that
we have nst suffered a good many
OF tho pains that come Of poor cir
culation. Rightly or wrongly we
have complained OF our transporta-
ton q N-oulties n II is evident that
the ST. OF hos been n still Is
unsatis.. II many respects.
The conn ircial shipper. big custom.
er to our railroads, complains that he
IS being held up for exhorbitant
freight fores, that he cannot get
cars when he needs them and that
he has quit putting claims for set
Element because It costs him more
in time and money trying to co lect
them than the claim is actually
worth. If you are looking for ad-
verso criticism on present sys'
tenn of transportation and Its opera
ton, 20 to the commercial shipper.
The second customer of u rail-
roads Is the farmer. who also II ready
with his bill OF rights of grievances.
Ths railroads have left him without
cArs and his TOR has deprecated
havily on his hands. When h cars
aid finally arrive freight rates took
a part OF his profit. He is surs that
there 10 something wrong with the
present system. but he IS not quite
certain q. e the remedy. III, sIper-
.ence with government operated rail
roads Toes not make him want the
experiment repeated. but he thinks
perhaps n bill put through Congress
,,.f,;,t, would ranttfrA Tho raf1rnaAa IN
carry the farmers produce At q
fraction of the present rate would
turn the trick.
Nor are you ana Z much hAppisr
about the present situation. We rid
Tn rain. us passengers md complain
OF the wretched service. Our feelings
are not soothed any when we
examine the column OF figures on our
pullman berth check and find all reg
ular taxes and sur-tsIes listed in
order. Our good friends the CONNER
clAl travellers arc particularly in
csnsed just now because the courts
have handed down q permanent in
junction against the tissue of milage
books. The quantity discount that
Used to be enjoyed by ths commercial
traveller as a large ash customer
OF transportation 10 no more. He
must pay the full tariff whether he
likes II or not"
1t is quite apparent from Mr.. Bah
sons summary that the customers
are not happy with things as they
ARE.
"If we look into the transportation
business itself" continues the stall,
tician. I'VE find a dissatisfied group
of worke who are spending n large
part OF their time trying to get what
they think will be n satisfactory
working basis. They are for govern
ment ownership because they believe
Il would be of direct benefit to them
inasmuch ms 1t would probably pay
q good high wag and would continue
TO pay It whether the business done
or the service rendered justified T.
or not. The tar payers could meet
the deficit. A selfish ond un.ound
proposal at least.
IF we turn to the many Thousands
of small investors scattered thruout
the country who own our railroads
we find that they are not very en-
thusiast'c. They will tell you that
their money has been tied up in rail
securities all these years. hat they
have received very little in either &C.
tual return or in the way of en-
enlargement.
Now with all these people los
ing might suppose that rome one
would be winning. We turn to the
management OF cur roads and we
find them complaining bitterly thai
they can do nothing because of gov
eminent regulation. They will tell
you that their roads are in need of
repair but that the government will
not allow them 10 make enough 10
pay interest on the money hat they
must borrow 20 buy tho new equip.
ment SO they have 10 worry along
with what they have and spend their
time trying TO hold on moro adverse
legislation. We are. therefore. unani-
nous in our agreement that some
thing is wrong. but what 10 to be
done about It. Our railroad system
cannot break down completely. The
circulation OF our great commercial
world cannot stop or business would
die and tho people would suffer
starvation.
There seems 10 be a great Deal OF
misunderstanding among the radical
clement who are pushing for more
restrictions and adverse legislation.
You nave often heard II said that the
government through its ruling has
guaranteed the railroads earnings