The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-26
RAILROADS AND THE PUBLIC

President Markham of the Illinois Central Railroad, during his recent visit to Birmingham made public address on "The Ideal Relationship Between a Common Carrier and Its Patrons" in which he presented some constructive views chiefly in the form pf a plea for a more sympathetic at- titude and more cooperative aid from the public for railroads in such solu- ton of their problems as will enable them to care for the public needs in transportation capacity and prompt ness of service, and afford sufficient returns to provide necessary extel- sions and betterments and leave hold CTS of railroad securities fair yield on their investments.
 X MT. Markham's address was inform ative, especially that part which set forth the improvement in capacity of service during the past year through practical economies in operations and heavy expenditures for increased reauipment. He stated that the ex- penditures of the railroads during this year for new cars, locomotives, track age and other facilities will total about one billion, one hundred mil lions of dollars. That enormous cost in improvements represents serious ef- forts of the railroads to provide ade- quate service to take care of an inn rnense increase of patronage, which demonstrates in a practical way that the public is already cooperating gen. erously and in constantly increasing measure with the railroads, which i1 turn acknowledge the fact as evil denced by their additional efforts and expenditures.
 President Markham, while not in so many words, in effect at least, fell in line with a phase of the situation which most railroad chief executives present in this connection-that fair treatment of the public invariably and of necessity benefits the railroads, be- cause the transportation service of the country advances the development LII llQuSIIy, anu WudG IGlDS UQSiItSS and assists in the increase of pros Serity enhances railroad interests. That is pre-eminently true. Fortu- nately for the railroads, as well as for the country's business interests, the old policies of "The Public Be Damned" and Charge All That the Traffic Will Stand" have been ma terially modified by most railroads through realization of indirect in- jaries to themselves growing out of disastrous effects upon the count1y's industry.
 EThe theory that unreasonable trans pertation costs, unfair treatment of business interests and disregard of the public welfare injure the railroads in direct proportion to their damage to the public, as frequently admitted by railroad chief executives in their pub lie addresses, would have more inn pression if it were oftener applied in railroad practice. Far too often it is more matter of words than of practice, as, for example, the failure of the railroads to grant an equitable division of rates to waterways in joint hauls; the persistent delay and failure to provide pressingly needed protec- ton to Birmingham and other cities from deadly grade crossings with their constant menace to human life and Immense burdens to business; the post ponement and plays for delay-some- times open refusal-in adjusting un- reasonable freight rates, and in many other ways.
 sThe public bears no hostility to the railroads except such as they created and fostered through their short sighted treatment of the public and their neglect of the public welfare. A complete understanding, friendly at titude, sympathetic cooperation. from the public can be acquired and maintained by the railroads whenever eAsy determine to give the public in- terests that square deal, that fair treatment upon which the success and prosperity of the railroads depend.
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