New Britain herald., 1930-12-05
R. R. EXECUTIVES
 ASK BETTER DEAL.
Continued From Page Sixl

When railroad company, which buys the land on which it's right Of way is built; builds and pays for it's tracks. terminals and structures, pays taxes on the value Of it's real
 estate, on it's income, on its right 10
 do business and is, by law. regulat-
 ed 10 such an extent that about all Il railroad officer can do, without
 wondering if it is legal, is to look
 out of the window; when he is forced 10 compete with people who carry freight and passengers upon the waterways or highways built al publC expense, without terminals of any kind, or. if they have terni- nals, often provided at public cx- pense; without the necessity of pay ing taxes upon their real e8tate-fol they have nonc-Without any speclal income or franchise taxes; without regulation as 10 their rates, as to the kind Of vehicles they must provide, as 10 the appointments for safety or convenience that they must have upon such vehicles. or as 10 the number of men by whom such ve- hlcles should be manned, the com petition emerges from the category ot fair competition and becomes a destructive menace to the backbone: and when we add 10 the above con- alterations the fact that, by opera ton Of special laws, the railroads are. in certain cases. compelled 10 divide with these unregulated com petitors their own proceeds from their own regulated rates, even when the operation upon d water way is conducted by the United States government. itself. the situ- alton becomes not only competitive and destructive, it becomes tyranni- cal in the extreme, for it is an indi- rect form Of oppressive taxation. as sessed for the purpose of enabling the Sovcrnment-operated agencies to show q favorable operating result.
 What l have just said is appli- cable to motor transportation. al though not in the same degrec as water transportation. Highways are built by the public. paid for, us- "aliy, by bond issues and money ne ,. cessary for the payment Of interest on these bonds, and for the payment of the principal when the bonds arc due, must be raised by taxation. No other method of meeting these obl- cations is open to the government. the states. or the local subdivisions which incur the indebtedness. The largest propcr,y owners in the coun- try, and therefore the largest tax. pay CTS are the railroads. Therefore. the burden Of paying for these high. ways falls more heavily upon the railroads, proportionatcly. than upon any other class Of taxpayers. These highWays are freely used in the transportation ol passengers, and of freight, and 10 that use the railroads cannot object. but we can, and do object 10 the usc of these highways, for which We helped pay. i'll Counpc- tilion with us by agencies which pay nothing for their use, and are con s,qucntIy. subsidized partially at our expense for the privilege Of Compet- ing with us, not only with single trucks. and with single busses. but with trains Of such trucks. We are asking for regulation of these agcn- cioS. and asking that they pay proper proportion Of the cost of the burden which they arc imposing upon the public through excessive use made of the highways and tine consequent heavy maintenance and heavy rebuilding costs. h this movement, l am happy 10 say, "" have been assured Of the assistance of some of the responsible motor truck operators.
 We arc standing before the bus mess men of the country, and say Ing 10 them, that in the field of it is unfair that the railroads should continue 10 be the only agency which is subjected 10 regulatory laws, or regulatory meth eds w. do not believe that 1t ia thc intention or the responsible bus mess interests oi the country that Inc railroads should be brought to ruiu in ord'r 10 force government ownership, md operation. We to believe that the business interests O. tEc country arc interested in main tainin- a system oi transportation which would fulfill the needs Of the country; have reliable, adcdudtc, and speedy movement of traffic. aud We are placing before you the problem which confront us, because Tn measure, they are Ncltr own proh- l"luS, and you can h' oi assistance :n obtaining the results which are SO necessary. aund which will be so