THE OMAIIA DAILY BEE: SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 1903.
SLASON THOMPSON ON KATES
Chicago Man Oomei to Defante of the
Nebraska Railroads.
DEDUCTIOM FROM ROOSEVELT VOTE
Argues that Xehraskaas Arc Coateat
with the Situation, nrraoic
Their Cite President
, Die Majority.
CHICAOO, Juno 1Z To the Editor of
The Bee: I hope you will prrmtt the
courtesy of your column In a rply to
the clear and excellent presentation made
by Mr. Rosewater of The Bee, on the
railway rate question In the Chicago
Record-Herald lust week.
There are two difficulties In the way of
putting forth a satisfactory answer to Mr,
Rosewater's statement, both of which I
think he appreciated when placing his
Ideas on paper:
First His generalizations.
Second His personal familiarity with
Nebraska politics and conditions gives him
an advantage In the discussion which
no outsider can overcome.
Mr. Rosewater's generalizations, how
ever, can be traversed by generalizations
and Impeached by some broad facts.
He says that with the possible exception
of "railway officials, their commercial
beneficiaries and political retainers, the
people of Nebraska are practically a unit
In favor of President Roosevelt's program
of railway regulation."
In this I think Mr. Rosewater confuses
popular approval of the president's
declaration that, "above all else, we must
strive to keep the highways of commerce
open to all on equal terms, and to do
this, It Is necessary to put a complete
stop to all rebates," with the cure which
he proposes, and which does not touch the
disease, namely that the Interstate Com
merce commission shall have power to
determine what shall be a reasonable rate
this rate "to take effect immediately and
to obtain, unless and until reversed by a
court of review."
As to the president's declaration In re
gard to the abuses of rebates and other
forms of unjust discriminations, railway
officials agree with the popular sentiment
of Nebraska that a remedy should be
found, but they insist, and I think Mr,
Rosewater will admit they are right in
insisting, that the remedy shall fit the
evil and not Impair their ability to pro
vide ever Increasing transportation facili
ties to the people and commerce of the
United States.
Popallam as a. Protest
Mr. Rosewater says that "the popullstle
uprising, of which Nebraska was the cy
clone center, was chiefly a poular protest
against unjust discrimination, exorbitant
rate charges and political railroad domina
tion."
Of this there is absolutely no evidence.
The popullstle cyclone which swept Ne
braska and jother western states from their
moorings of sound finance and sense was
the result of the microbe of discontent
assiduously cultivated by social and
political agitators. They seised upon- any
temporary subject of complaint to propo
xate their theories that all the ills of
humanity are curable by legislation. The
popullstlo movement was alternately fos
tered by poor crops and by big crops. I
have not the figures for Nebraska by me,
but the following statement of the fluctua
tion of the crops and prices of corn from
1890 to IMS, accounts for the rise and fall
of the cyclone which Mr. Rosewater at
tributes to railway abuses:
CORN CROP AND PRJCE-1890-1S9T.
(From Reports of the Department of Agri
culture
THE RAILROADS AND
Railroad Legislation,
and National
The right of the state to exercise legis
lative control over railroads rests upon
the principle that railways are public
highways. Were tbey not public highways
it would be beyond legislative power to
delegate to the railroads the sovereign
power of eminent domain. It Is only as
public highways that the existence of the
railways ran be reconciled with their com
pulsory acquisition of their right-of-way.
The actual regulation and control of these
hlghwsys tn the interest of the publlo is
the sole method by which these rights can
be vindicated. This is still the controlln
principle of railroad law national as well
ss state.
At the outset, the people of the United
States wore favorably disposed towards
railroads and every inducement was held
out to railroad builders for the construc
tion and extension of rail ays. The con
trast between the old and the new mods
of transportation was so great and the
THE PEOPLE
State
Seventh ol Series of Timely Articles Written by Edward
Rosewater, Editor oMhe Bee, on Different
Phases of the Pending Railroad Problem
transportation of freight and passengers, as
may from time to time be enacted and
provided for by the law of the state of
Iowa." The same restricting clause was
Inserted by succeeding legislatures of Iowa
and the various companies willingly and
gladly accepted.
The demand for legislation to restrict the
charges exacted by railroads from their
were asked by their patrons to reduce a
high rate they would plead the legislative
schedule In excuse for their failure to com
ply with the request.
gether'. The Reagan bill, moreover, pro
hibited pooling, while the Cullom bill left
the subject to the commission.
Difference In Two Bills.
The most important difference, however,
was tn the local remedies against offences
prohibited. Tho Cullom bill created . an
Interstate commerce commission author
ized to hear and investigate complaints In
all parts of the United States, to asseas
dsmnges if unlawful acts are proved nnd
the failure of any railroad to pay such
damages to be constituted an offence
punishable by the final mandate of
the supreme court. The Rengnn .bill
left Its provisions to bs enforced by
the existing courts only seeking to make
the remedy more direct and easy
They claimed that they were ready and by permitting the Injured party to bring
willing to submit to all reasonable regula- suit vln any state or federal court within
tlon. but that the maximum tariff law was whose jurisdiction the offending railway has
prejudicial both to the best interests of the an office. It awarded to him exemplary
roads and those of the public. They fur- damages three times the loss he could
Pudiic appreciated so highly the superior ptrona to compel them to afford equal thPr aKaerie& that tho people, had grown prove that the discrimination Inflicted upon
conveniences afforded by the latter that for faclIlt,e, to all shippers for like service and tlre, of m. mnnnpr of regulating railroad him. It made the resort to a mandamus
iiiuiTu i'j mo "in prohibiting discriminating rates to tavorea
railroads were scarcely noticed, or If they shippers were enacted in the early 70s. by
aia attract tne attention or tne pumic wi.iatures of the states of Minnesota,
they appeared moro like necessary features Wisconsin, Illinois, as well as Iowa,
of the new system of transportation than Kansas and Nebraska. In 1871 laws
like abuses. wer8 paMei jn minds and Minnesota
Evils Gradually Increased. flxtng maximum charges for the tran-
The evils gradually increased, but for sportatlon of freight and passengers and
years no attempt was made to check their forbidding discriminations.
growth. Railroad managers construed this Railroads Heeoine Arrogant,
failure of the people to Interfere with or The railroads claimed that a state did
even protest against their unjust practices not have the right to prescribe rates and
as a quasi sanction of their course and refused to bn bound by these luws. In-
charges and earnestly desired a chnnge
of policy; that the Interference of the
state with the rallrond business had In
juriously affected certain industrial Inter
ests and had gradually retarded railroad
construction by driving capital and pro
moters of railroad enterprises from the
state.
from the circuit court of the United Statea
cumulative and where perishable freights
were Involved authorized the writ of al
ternative mandamus returnable forthwith.
The compromise Cullom-Reagan bill pro
vided a governmental tribunal which was
to give exclusive attention to abuses of
rnllway management, but the weakest spot
As a matter of fact, statistics prove that in its makeup was and still Is its inability
soon claimed to do by right what they
had formerly done by sufferance. The evils
increased until the patience of the people
finally became exhausted. While the peo-
stead of modlfytng their policy, they be
came dally more arrogant. Discriminations
which had before been practiced under the
veil of secrecy and which had been de-
pie thus for years dealt very leniently with fended by railroad managers, as exceptions
the railroad companies, the principle of to the rule, made necessary by clrcum-
state control had- never been surrendered, stances wholly beyond their control, were
but, on the contrary, was asserted In state now openly and defiantly practiced by
constitutions, railway incorporation laws ceVeral of the larger roads. Every encour-
and charters. The constitution of nrement was thus given by the railroads
during the five years following the great
panics of 1873 and 1893 the railroads In
the "Granger" States fared no worse In
this respect than they did in the states
east. In the middla west or south, that
had not been Invaded by the "Granger"
movement and Farmers" alliance.
State Reg-nlntlon Inadequate.
to enforce its orders.
Before the creation of the Interstate
Commerce commission all the railroads and
their railroad attorneys made dire predlc
tlons of disaster and wreckage In conse
quence of the attempt of congreis to de
rrlve the railroads of the privilege of
charging whatever the traffic would bear
State railway regulation, either by direct and carrying on the transportation business
Nebraska, adopted In 1875, expressly pro
vides that no railroad operated in the
state shall exercise the right of eminent
domain unless It concedes to the state the
regulation of its rates.
The right of the state to regulate rail
ways has been affirmed by numerous de-
to the uprising of the embattled farmers,
who had enlisted In the "Granger" move
ment. The result was that in the fall of 187$
the legislatures of Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Illinois and Iowa were elected on the rail
road regulation issue. The wildest predlc-
law or through boards of railroad com
missioners, proved entirely Inadequate to
alTord relief from the abuses to which the
American peoplo were subjected by the
railroads. The states were powerless to
as they deemed most expedient and ad
vantageous In the Interest of their stock
holdurs.
Prosperous Times for Roads.
These apprehensions, like the prophesies
Intervene on behalf of the patrons of the BrJo0t the granger laws, have proved utterly
railways or the communities nrrectea ty Kroundles(l. Notwithstanding the fact that
discriminating cnarges, only rrom a to t .4 0no.00fl.noo of water has been In
40 per cent of the value of railroad traffic Jecte(J ,nto the capltalaUon of American
using local wnua iroiu ou io (a per cem r.rnaAa th,PI --- w. . tim. in their
clalons of the higher state and federal tloni were made by rairoad men as to the
courts. The regulation of the railways by extreme to which "granger" legislation
would go and the ruinous effect of such
legislation upon the railroad companies.
These predictions, however, failed to ma
terialize. The "granger" laws were In the
main moderate. Just and reasonable and
well adapted to remedy the evils of which
the public complained, had they been fairly
enforced and lived up to by the railroads.
Attempt to Make I. w Odious.
the state has been most frequently on
posed by the claim that the chartered
rights of the corporation are violated by.
it. No agreement has ever been made by
any legislature In which It distinctly and
In direct terms abjured the right of regu
lating the railways which it chartered.
The decisions of our highest courts, be
ginning with the "Granger" cases and
down to the present day, completely over
turn this claim of vested rights which the
railway lawyers have set up as consti
tuting an Inviolable contract.
Right to Regulate Railways.
As far bacic as 1868 the legislature of the
state of Iowa in transferring the grant of
Is Interstate.
Popular agitation in favor of Interstate
railway regulation by congress followed
closely on the heels of state railroad regu
lation in the west and south, but during
two successive congresses national legisla
tion was thwarted by the machinations of
the railroad lobby and the great pressure
brought by the railway magnates and their
chief beneficiaries the trusts.
After exhaustive inquiries by con
gressional committees, publlo sentiment In
favor of national railway regulation ex-
history when they have been as prosperous
as they are at this time. Never In the
history of American railways has there
been such enormous Increase In mileage aa
hhs been constructed since 1887, when the
Interstate commerce act went into effect.
The present attitude of hostility of the
railway magnates toward more efficient
railway regulation through the measures
recommended by President Roosevelt Is
only a counterpart of their attitude toward
state and interstate commerce regulation
SASMO OUSTED YOUNG HYDE
Carter of Thomas F. Ryan, the Dominant
Power in the Xquitsble.
HOW HE CAME BY HIS MILLIONS
Profitable Activities In Combining
Rallraaas, Street Railway, (ins and
Tobacco Companies Rarly
Trials, Later Triumphs.
In their desperate attempts to make state pressed through commercial bodies, political Again they make wild predictions of disas
ter, not only to the railroad interests, dui
to American commerce generally. Now. as
then, they forecast a general cessation of
railroad construction In the United States,
but the fact that more railroad extensions
have been planned and are already con
tracted for In the United States for the
railway regulation odious the railroad
managers compiled with only part of the
letter of the law and none of the spirit.
They contrived to create hardships for
certain interests and localities. Instead of
charging in all cases reasonable rates, as
conventions and legislatures finally crys
tallzed Into' the lntersate commerce act,
which waa a compromise between two reg
ulation bills known as the Reagan and
Cullom bills. Both attempted to define
and prohibit discriminations and unreason-
lands originally made to tho Mississippi the spirit of the law demanded, they very able rates, declared such offences mls-
& Missouri Railroad company, to the Rock frequently charged the maximum rales per- demeanors and provided civil remedies and coming year than were constructed during
Island road expressly provided that It waa to mltted under the law, and when they by criminal penalties for them. They differed, several years post would Indicate that the
be upon the condition that "the said railroad this practice succeeded In damaging cer- however, in that the Cullom bill forbade railway magnates either have no fear of
company accepting the provisions of this tain Interests they would point to the rebates and drawbacks only where they congressional legislation or are simply try-
act, ahall at all times be subject to such "granger" law as the source of all existing Inflicted unjust discriminations, while the Ing to frighten the president and congress
rules, regulations and rates of tariff for the railroad evils. Bo, likewise, when they Reagan bill prohibited those practices alto- E. ROSEWATER.
Prloe
Tear. Bu. Dec. 1.
IS9O....1.4K9.97U.0OU 60.
181....2,U),154,004 40.6
1XKI....1,.4M.O"0 IS.4
18!.... 1.619. 4M.131 86.6
1894.... 1,212, 770.U62 45.7
18!. ...2.151.138.60 26.3
1896.. ..2,243,876,166 21.6
Price
Year. Bu. Dec. 1.
189J....l,902,97,e33 26.8
IH!8....1,a4,184,fi0 28.7
Stt9....2,078.143.U33 80.3
I9U0.... 2.106.102,610 36.7
l!01....1.622.61t,8l 60.6
1902.... 1,623, 648,312 40.3
111(04.... 2,244.176,926 42.6
If rain and drought were due to railway
discriminations and unreasonable rates, it
might be Just to attribute the small crops
of 1894 and 1901 and the low prices of 1893
and 1896 to railway perversity. Unfortu
nately the railways have not yet discov
ered the secret of dominating the forces of
nature, nor can they entirely overcome the
laws of supply and demand.
But in one particular I think Mr. Rose
water will admit that the railways have
assisted in ameliorating the conditions
upon which the populist microbe In Ne
braska has been wont to feed its particular
brand of discontent. Throughout the semi
arid western third of the state the railways
have borne a noteworthy part in bringing
over 260,000 acres within the irrigated area.
where there was a total of less than 12,000
acres fifteen years ago.
Claims Voters Support Railroads.
To Mr. Rosewater's claim that the people
of Nebraska are a unit In their support of
the president's plan to regulate railways
by olothlng the commission with the rate'
making power, we have the opposing testi
mony of their votes at the presidential elea
tlon of 1901 The democratlo party in Its
convention at St. Louis adopted the follow
ing plank In regard to the regulation of
railway rates:
We demand an enlargement of the dow
era of the Interstate Commerce commis
sion, to the end that the traveling publlo
ana snippers may nave prompt ana sue
auate relief for the abuses to which they
are subjected in the matter of transporta
tion.
The republican party, in Its Chicago plat
form, was content to rest its claims on
having provided "additional remedies for
the prevention of discrimination in freight
rates, passed by a republican congress."
In the campaign which ensued so little
real vitality was there to the populist
claim that the country was clamoring for
relief from transportation abuses that the
democrats almost forgot their platform
ptterance and the republicans absolutely
ignored any such issue. We all know how
the republicans swept the country, but in
view of Mr. Rosewater's ciaim that Ne
braska is a unit for railway regulation, it
may be interesting to recall the vote In
Nebraska, which was as follows:
Roosevelt (rep.) 138,658
Parker (dem.) 61.876
Watson (peo.) ; 20,618
swallow (promo.)
Debs (soo.) 7,412
There is no evidence here that the people
of Nebraska were clamoring for hostile
railway regulation.
Mr. Rosewater says: "Other sections of
the - country have been granted ' lower
freight rates and accorded more generous
treatment by the railway managers within
the last decade, but not so Nebraska."
Reports of Freight Rates.
Here again the ascertainable averages do
not appear to bear out the generalization.
I nave not the figures for Nebraska, but
the reports of the Interstate Commerce
commission for group vli, which embraces
"Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, North and
South Dakota, east of the Missouri river;
Colorado, north of Denver," afford the fol
lowing light on the course of freight rates
In the Nebraska region:
ms
Are the bad boys very often. The boy
that's good for anything is genera Ur
pagttacioaa. He's a healthy animal,
sad the healthy animal will always fight
for his rights.
When a boy shuns the rough sports of
bis companions he is
apt to be a weaUta&
sad to I be conscious 1
of the fact
A great many
1 mothers have testi
fied to the wonderful
curing and strength R"
emng power 01 ur.
Pierce's Golden Med
ical Discovery. All
strength comes from
food after it has been
perfectly digested
and assimilated. By
curing diseases of the
stomach and other
organs of digestion
and nutrition, Gold
en Medical Discov
er enables the per
fect nourishment of
the body, which is
thus built trp in the
only way a body can
be built up oy 100a.
There is no alcohol in Discovery,"
and it entirely free from opium, cocaine,
k ' and all other narcotics.
Dr. Pierce's medicine bu done wonders foe
say two tout, writes Mrs. M. Hsrtrlck, of Hem
iter. Oswego Co., M. Y. Both had scroluU.
lif eldest son was taken two or torts years ago
with hataorrhag from the lungs. It troubled
lm for orra year. H.tooa Di.Wetoa'eOoMea
Vedical Discovery and baa not had one is over
a tui. at r youagcr aoa had scrofulous sores oa
kit neck; had two laaccd, but has not had say
aiac ma conuntaoc4 to Uk your medicine."
Dr. Pierce's Common Bense Memcai
Adviser, in paper cover, sent ret on re
ceipt of at one-cent stamps to pay ex
pense of mailing outy. Tor cloth bind
ing send 31 stamps. Address Dr. &. V
fierce, Buffalo, N. 7.
S3
1 t i
! : F5
im 2.458 "12.12
18S4 t.234 11.41
1K95 2.4S8 lO.Sjj
18S 2.6A4 11.21
1S7 2.m 11.48
1W 2.438 11.67
5
th
erf
S
1R99 f!50
imo 2.816
mi .2.307
19t2 2.1SS
14 2.126
11.01
10.64
10.43
.so
Here is shown a decline of over 13.1 per
cent in the average passenger revenue of
the railways, and of nearly 20 per cent In
tho average freight revenue during the
last decade, for which by the dilatory
grace of the Interstate Commerce com
mission we have the statistics. Between
1893 and 1908 the rates on wheat from
Lincoln, Neb., to Chicago have fluctuated
between 37 and 20 cents per 100 pounds,
and on corn between 22 and IS cents, the
high figure In both Instances being for
the earlier date. The fluctuations are al
ways due to the efforts of the railways
to meet changing t radio conditions, not
only by rail tn the United 6tates, but by
w&tar as to acean freight rates tn their
relation to the commerce of the world.
Enough has been said to disprove Mr,
Rosewater's statement that Nebraska has
not profited' along with the rest of the
republlo In the steady decline in freight
rates, which has contributed so greatly
to the marvelous prosperity which Ne
braska has shared with the rest of the
country.
Nebraska's Material Prosperity.
That there is no reason for supposing
that Nebraska has suffered any Injury ab
solutely or relatively from burdensome
freight rates during the pasu ten or fifteen
years Is easily demonstratable.
In 1890 Nebraska with $66,837,617 ranked
sixteenth in the gross value of Its agrt
cultural nroducts: in 1900 it ranked tenth.
the value Sieving risen to I162,66.38S, an
Increase of over 146 per cent. In the gross
value of' manufactured products Nebraska
showed an Increase of over 64 per cent,
During the same period the value of
Iowa's agricultural products Increased ISO
per cent and Its manufactured products
only tl, and yet Iowa was blessed with
what Mr. Rosewater is apparently striving
to give to the whole country a hard and
fast distance railway tariff,
What Is more to the polpt, between 1890
and 1SO0 the per capita value of agricultural
products in Nebraska increased from 181 to
from $83 to $164, or only 98 per cent. More
over, the per capita value of Nebraska's
manufactured products Increased from $88
to $13S, or S3 per cent, while Iowa'a only ad
vanced from $05 to $74, or less than 14 per
cent.
This does not look as If there waa much
agricultural or Industrial stagnation in Ne
braska superinduced by adverse railway
rates or any other cause. But as to manu
facturing Interests, it may well give rise to
the question, "What's the matter with
IowaT" To which the answer of a disin
terested atudent might well be, "Too much
state-made railway rates." '
Changes tu Classification.
Mr. Rosewater says that "the changes In
classification made within the past five
years have actually Increased the local rail
road rates in Nebraska above what they
were in the '80's," and that this is "where
the shoe pinches."
I don't know where Mr. Rosewater can
find any authority for this sweeping mis
statement. Table civ, of part 11, of the re
view of "Railways in the United States In
1902," Issued by the Interstate Commerce
commission in 1903, gives the local freight
rates charged between Omaha and various
shipping points in Nebraska for distances
from 46 up to 470 miles, and in not a single
Instance does a change In the classification
rate mark anything but a decline, some
times amounting to 60 per cent; and so
great has been the reduction generally that
nothing short of Jumping an article over
several classes would Increase the local
rate anywhere near what it was in the '80 s.
Of course there may be sporadic cases
where a change of classification may be
from the fifth class at 62 cents per 100
pounds for 470 miles In 1902 to second-class
at 99 cents for the same distance, or 1 cent
higher than, the fifth-class rate was in 1886.
But such cases must be nearly aa rare aa
white blackbirds, and I do not believe Mr.
Rosewater would base a general Indictment
of railway rates on such exceptional instances.
The figures I have Just given mark the
decline of rates on fifth-class freight be
tween Omaha and Chadron, Neb., since 18S0
and are typical of the drop in rates
throughout the classification that Is, rela
tively from 98 to 62 cents per 100 pounds for
470 miles.
4neslon of Net Earnings.
I regret that it is Impractical to follow
Mr. Rosewater in his comparisons of the
net earnings of the railways in Nebraska
and Iowa for 1904, because his figures either
as to mileage or earnings do not correspond
with anything I find in the official reports.
But unless he can show that the net earn
ings of the railways In Nebraska yield an
unreasonable profit on the railway invest
ment that carries the traffic, and also im
poses an unreasonable and onerous burden
on Nebraska business, I do not see what
the difference in net earnings per mile be
tween Iowa and Nebraska railways has to
do with railway regulations It is affected
by a variety of causes, among which
density and nature of the traffio and cost
of operation may be mentioned. Group vl,
In which Illinois and Iowa are located,
show gross earnings of $7,830 per mile to
only W.901 for group vli. In which Nebraska
is located; and yet so much heavier is the
cost of operation In the former group that
the net Income from operation for the two
groups in 1903 were $2,927 and $2,906 per mile
respectively.
It is a noteworthy fact that while Mr,
Rosewater, speaking for Nebraska, makes
envious comparisons between the net earn
ings of the railways in his state and Jowa,
Governor Cummins, speaking for the ship
pers of Iowa, makes a great ado over the
alleged special rates and prlvlllgese ex
tended by the railways to the shippers of
Nebraska. The fact la that the shippers of
each state are not only Jealous of thoso of
every other state, but are Insistent on se
curing some special advantage for them
selves. If local or stata clamor were per
mltted to fix railway charges to suit local
desires, the whole fabrio of American rail
way rates would be nibbled away to the
vanishing point. This competition or tmu
latlon between localities and states may
always be relied on to keep railway charges
within the bounds of reason, especially
devotes its energies to the enforcement of
existing laws, Instead of reaching out for
powers beyond human capacity to exercise
with Justice, dispatch and discretion.
Some Reform Is Needed.
With Mr. Rosewater's reflections on the
necessity for bo me reform in the matter
of railway regulation I tlnd myself In sym
pathy. But I do not believe in the revolu
tionary proposal to make the findings of
an investigating and prosecuting commis
sion effective before they have been finally
passed on by the courts. This Is subversive
of the common order of Judicial practice
and denies to the railways the rights
which are accorded to the humblest suitors
in our courts.
Apparently Mr. Rosewater favors endow
ing the commission with the rate making
power of a giant and trusting it not to
abuse that power like a giant. Unfortu
nately the record-of the commission indi
cates both the greed of power and the dis
position to abuse it.
On the other hand, the record shows that
the railways have very generally acquiesced
In the rulings of the comrn-.sslon. Out of
770 formal complaints under the Interstate
Commerct act, in eighteen years, 206 were
settled or discontinued, seventy-four in
definitely postponed, ninety have not been
disposed of, and 400 have come to a final
hearing. In all these years only forty-five
cases have been appealed to tho courts, and
in only eight of these has Judgment gone
against the railways.
If I were consulted as to what leglsla
tlon is needed "to keep the highways of
commerce open to all on equal terms," J
would say:
Amend the present act to regulate com
merce to cover private car lines or to make
tne carriers provide steclul cars.
Make all terminal and industrial railways
subject to the act.
Confine the duties of the commission to
investigating and prosecuting infractions
of the law, with authority to inspect thu
bonks of all carriers at all times, with tho
m 01 experts.
I'lace the railway statistics under tho
bureau of statistics of the Department of
commerce ana la do r.
Provide for government Inspection of all
railway accidents Involving the loss of
human life also under tho Department of
commerce.
Provide that all proceedings Instituted
ny tne commission snail have the rlKlit-or
way in the courts.
I do not believe in the creation of special
courts for the adjudication of questions re
$11, or 14$ per cent, walls that of Iowa rose J wbaa the Interstate Commerce ouaanUasUn
lating to railways, which are entitled to
the same square deal In American courts
that should be accorded to any other Amer
ican suitor, be he complainant or defendant.
Sees Danger Ahead.
It seems. to me that the railways have
good cause to view with alarm the pro
posal to Invest the Interstate Commerce
nnmmloaiAn with nnvAf tn AtAhllnh or
flv rntfts am thrpfitenlnar CTeat financial
loss If not disaster to their interests. It
would take only a few errors of a tenth
of a cent per ton per mile to throw scores
of roads into receivers' hands. It is not
reassuring to Investors in railway securi
ties and railway employes to be told that
the Interstate Commerce commission may
not use the power of rate making to the
detriment of the earning capacity of tho
railways. It 1s unsafe legislation to
lodge a dangerous power in an Irresponsi
ble body on the theory that the power
will not be exercised. Tne solvency of
the railways C . ,ods on reasonably re-
reratlve rates and there Is neither occa
sion nor warrant for reversal of the whole
course of civilized Jurisprudence because
some Interested shipper or aggrelved local
ity may persuade the Interstate Commerce
commission to fix a lower rate in the place
of one declared unreasonable.
I think "that when Mr. Rosewater has ex
amlned Into this matter a little more defl
nltely he will discover that railway rates
generally In the United States have been
pretty closely adjusted to the commercial,
agricultural and Industrial requirements of
the country; that the hue and cry against
the railways proceeda from the aame old
caves of discontent and political Ineptitude
whence issued populism and free silver, and
that rebates and other railway abuses can
not be stopped by transferring the rate
making power from the railways to the
government. BIvASON THOMPSON,
Baltimore points the finger of pride at
Thomaa F. Ryan, the man who settled the
troublea of the Equitable Assurance society
of New York and claims him as one of her
stalwart sons. The claim Is of the "has
been" variety, inasmuch as Ryan was about
17 years of age when he struck Baltimore.
He Is a Virginian by birth, and will be 61
years of age next October. According to
Baltimore papers young Ryan was without
meana or influence when he reached the
Monument city in 1S6S, and hud a hard
struggle against adversity. But he pos
sessed the true American grit and made
the best of his lot until he found employ
ment. Ills first venture In tho business
world of Baltimore was in a minor ca
pacity with John S. Berry, who kept a
commission dry goods house. Mr. Horry
soon discovered in young Ryan the mak
ing of a successful business man, and he
encouraged the youth in every way pos
sible. Ryan gradually worked his way up
and eventually became a partner In the
business.
Retiring from this house, he went to
New York, where ffe entered a bunking
house which Mr. Berry had an Interest in.
He devoted himself to the study of finance
In all Its phases. With tho knowledge
thus acquired, he began to take an inter
est In Wall street affairs, becoming ac
quainted with the big men of the street,
and almost before he had attained his ma
jority Mr. Ryan formed a stock exchange
partnership. He prospered and In 1874 he
purchased a seat on the New York Stock
exchange. Mr. Ryan continued in the
brokerage business for ten years, and In
that period accumulated a comfortable
fortune. Ills business brought him In con
tact with William C. Whitney, Jay Gould
and other giants of the financial world, all
of whom were impressed with the ability
of Mr. Ryan.
Promoter and Combiner.
Mr. Whitney was especially Impressed
with the energy and 'manner of the young
man, and In 1886 invited him to become a
member of the combination which was en
gaged In consolidating the various street
railways in New York city. Mr. Ryan
assumed the bulk of this task, and so well
did he accomplish It that his associates
contented themselves with following Mr.
Ryan's leadership. But Mr. Ryan did not
confine his activities to New York; he was
ambitious to become a promoter of steam
railroads and industrial enterprises, espe
cially In the south.
When he Invaded tho south his wealth
amounted to many millions, and he was
constantly adding to it. He was one of
the reorganize of the old Richmond and
Danville system (now the Southern rail
way), and he prepared the plan for the
reorganisation of the Central of Georgia
Railroad and Banking company. These
were his biggest rehabilitation schemes.
and the success of these undertakings add
ed to his prestige In Wall street.
One of the dreams of Mr. Ryan's life
was to control a railroad in the south, and
he selected the Seaboard Air Line railroad
as the system he would direct. He so
oretly laid plans to wrest control from Mr,
R, Curaon Hoffman and his associates, but
Mr. Hoffman discovered the move and set
about to circumvent It. Then began one
of the bitterest struggles in the annals of
railroads for control of the system. Mr.
Ryan resorted to every trick known to
Wall street to dislodge Mr. Hoffman, but
he had met a foeman worthy of his steel,
and Mr. Hoffman defeated Ryan at every
turn. Mr. Hoffman believed that Ryan
was working in the Interest of a southern
railway with which the Seaboard was en
gaged In a bitter rate war.
Mr. Hoffman finally sold control of the
Seaboard to Messrs. John Bkelton Williams
and S. William Mlddendorf and associates,
and Mr. Ryan renewed hla efforts to lan
ths property, but he met with the same re
ception that he did from Mr. Hoffman. Mr.
Ryan endeavored to break an agreement
for pooling stork, lwllevmg that if he was
successful It would be comparatively ay
for him to buy suniolent stock to give hint
control. Hut the courts upheld the pool
ing agreement and then Mr. Ryan tried
conciliatory course.
A ( oatly Flebt.
He wanted Mr. Williams to take htm as
a partner In the creation of the Greater
Seaboard system, but Mr. Wllllsina would
have no such dealings with his antagonist.
The fight was renewed, and In all about
twenty suits were brought In various
southern states by Mr. Ryan, all of which
were decided against him. It Is esti
mated that this litigation cost Mr. Ryan
$1110,000.
Realising that he could not dislodge Mr.
Williams, then Mr. Ryan Intimated that hs
would sell his stoek. a large block Of which
he had acquired, and retlro from the field. .
The syndicate headed by Messrs. Williams
and Mlddendorf acquired Mr. Ryan's hold
ings, but they always believed that Mr.
Ryan waa still anxious to control Bea
bonrd, nnd were ever suspicious Of him.
One of hla strongest qualltlea Is persever
ance. Once ho makes up his mind to ao- ,
compllsh a thing he will bide his time, and
a matter of a few years apparently does not
bother hlin. In the caso of the Beaooara
his time came when the Wllllams-Mldden-
dort houses were beset with financial diffi
culties. With his associates, James A.
Blair A Co. and others, ha furnished the
money to pay off Seaboard's pressing obli
gations, and then by adroit manipulation of
the market succeeded In buying stock.
which, together with bonus stock, gave him
control for a trifle.
Maker of Trusts.
Among the other corporations which M.
Ryan haa either personally organised or
assisted In organizing are the Charleston A
West Carolina Railway company, a system
320 miles long; the Seaboard A Roanoke
Rallrond company; the consolidation of the
Flint A Pere Marquette railroad with the
Detroit, Grand Rapids & Western railroad.
and the Chicago & West Michigan Railroad
company into the system now known as the
Pere Marquette Railroad company; the
consolidation of the Hocking Valley Rail
road company and the Toledo A Ohio Cen
tral; organized the Union Tobacco company
and acquired the Blackwell Bull-Durham
company and the Liggett A Myers company
of St. Louis, all of which were afterward
abecrbed by the American Tobacco com
pany, better known as the Tobacco trust.
Tho Gas trust in New York Is a sample of
Mr. Ryan's handiwork. In this, he was as
sisted by William C. Whitney and Anthony
N. Brady, with the baoklng of the Standard
Oil company. It would take a good deal of
space to enumerate all the companies of
which Mr. Ryan Is a dlreotor.
Mr. Ryan on November 25, 1873, married
Miss Ida M. Barry of Baltimore, daughter
of the late John 8. Barry and niece of the ,
late R. C, Barry. His hobby la raising Hol
steln cattle, of which he has several hun
dred head. His kennels contain some of the
finest dogs In the world. He Is a member
of many clubs, though be does not devote
much time to them.
Yellowstone Park ana Portland,
Personally conducted party will leave
via the Burlington Route June 29th for
Portland, stopping at Gardiner, Mont., for S
six-day tour of Yellowstone Park.
Return from Portland can be made
through California and Colorado If desired.
Party will travel in standard sleeper, and
application for bertha should be made at
once. Rates are very low. Full informa
tlon at Burlington Ticket Office, icol
Farnam street, J. B. Reynolds, City Pa.
senger Agent.
A Tall Fish Story.
Two small fish, resembling sun perch, are
on exhibition in a St, Louis restaurant.
They fell during a heavy rain, aooordln
to the statements of August MelnerS, man
ager of the restaurant, and E. D. Evans,
connected with the Art Wall Paper mills.
Mr. Meiners, who picked one of the fish up
Immediately after It struck the sidewalk,
denied that his company had leased an air
route from any lakes in order to secure
quick delivery to the kitchen. The story.
he says, la a true fish story, and anybody
that does not believe it can see the fish In
a large tin can on the cashier's desk, la
beled: "These fish fell from the sky at
10:46 a. m."
21.35 to Aabnry Park, N. J., fSUHh
And return. Via Nickel Plate road.
Tickets good via New York City. Dates of
sale, June 29 and 30 and July I and X, with
extreme return limit of August $1 by de
positing ticket. Chicago Ticket offices, 1U
Adams street and Auditorium Annex. Depot.
La Salle and Van Buren streets, on Ele
vated Loup.
Woodmen Circle
Ladies Auxiliary of the W. O. W.
AN OMAHA INSTITUTION
A Fraternal Life Insurance Order for Ladies
Surplus Over a Quarter
of a Million Dollars
Payments as Safe as a Government
Bond, and as Prompt as a Sight Draft
For information call on, or address
Mrs. Emma B. Manchester
W. O. W. Building Supreme Guardian
TO PALE WOMEN:
Pale People's Blood.
Why are you so pale?
Because you are sick.
Why are you sick?
Because you are so pale.
It's an endless chain, that's likely to break some day and drop you into
the depths, if you don't enrich your poor blood, with woman s specific
ionic, .wine 01 v-araui.
Some of your symptoms are chronic dis
charge, backache, dragging down pains, etc.
Take Cardui and you will soon be well. Your
strength will return. Your nerves will recover
their strength. Your blood will tinge your
cheeks with the rosy bloom of health.
Sold lj
Irsrjr
Dratflst
la $1.
Bottles.
Rich Red Blood.
For Female WeaRness. ItMalfes Red Blood.
Don't Hesitate, Argue, RecHon or Guess. Begin Using Cardni Today.
p-hol, ss r-ls..,.-.. AiLTW ATJTnVt t'll'ZZT?
GAINED 31 POUNDS.
"When I commenced using Win of Cardui
I wii ill run down, snd welehtd only
98 pound. I hv been wln It about
six month! and now am perfectly well
snd weigh 129 pound."
MRS. ELIZABETH MEDUN.
Manhvilk, N. C
