The Shawnee Daily News-Herald (Shawnee, Okla.), Vol. 20, No. 217, Ed. 2 Sunday, May 23, 1915 Page: 1 of 4
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THE SHAWNEE DAILY NEWS-HERALD
SUNDAY MORNING, MAY 23, 1915.
SECOND SECTION—FOUR PAGES.
X
'I
A RAILROADS MAN'S TIMELY REMARKS
('Speech made by T. H. Beacom be- the amount to be refunded from re-
fore the Oklahoma Press association,
Guthrie, Olcla., May &, 1915).
"IM'r. President, Ladies and Gentle-
men of the Convention:
duction in grain rates has not yet
been determined.
**ln 1906, the rate on best Mc-
Alester lump coal from McAlester
''I feel highly honored and aippre- fields to El Reno was $1.7*6 per
elate your kindness in inviting me ton, in 1915 $1.35 per ton. The re-
to attend your convention. I know
In meeting you I am meeting the
representative citizens of this state.
I appreciate too, the privilege of
making a few remarks with refer-
ence to the general rail/way situa-
tion.
"1 am not an orator—tahen I
should have been attending college,
and learning the an of pulblic speak-
ing, I was engaged in performing
the somewhat arduous duties of the
'devil' in a newspaper office In my
home town.
"I graduated, was promoted, and
assigned to the operation of the job
prees, and there is where 1 met my
Waterloo, 1 was injured, and still
have the injured member with me.
I presume a numiber of you have
had like experiences.
"I concluded I was not a success
as a printer so Cook up railroad
tail price both years was $7. In
other words, the consumer paid the
same under the $1.35 rate that he
did under the $1.75. In 1906 pur-
chase price at mines was $4 per
ton, in 1915 $4^25. You can draw
your own conclusions as to what
became of the 40 cents per ton re-
duction in freight rates.
Kefund on Coal.
41 I know of one railroad that re
funded approximately $75,000 on
coal, or the difference between the
earnings under the high and low
rates. The refund covered a short
(period olf time, or w^hile the matter
iwas in litigation. This money is be-
ing paid to the different dealers
•who sold coal to the consumer.
I also know of a retail coal deal-
er who bought and sold coal during
the aibove period, on the basis off
the higher rate. He was recently re-
work, and have succeeded, if not in funded the difference between the
performing the duties assigned,iiaive two rates, or aproximately $8,000,
at least succeeded In fooling by and I am quite sure you will agree
superore, as I have been in the pay- J that it was nothing more nor less
roll continuously for over thirty than a rebate in disguise.
years.
Squeezing Out Water.
"Speaking of the railroads.
"I think it can reasonably be
concluded that the public as a whole
would have derived greater bene-
read an allele a few days ago, which'fits, and greater safety, if railroads
I consider applfcaMe to our present would have spent the $820,000 em-
condition. Th« article was to the
Effect that through the efforts of
the public to squeeze the water out
or railroads, the efforts off emplay-
es to secure a greater wage, the ef-
forts of federal and state commis-
sions to decrease rates, they had
about squeezed the lifdbiood out of
the carriers.
"Please understand, we have not
fault to find with the interstate
commerce commission or stat^ com-
missions. They represent the people,
and are endeavoring to comply with
the wishes of their constituents, nor
do we olbject to paying our employ-
es good wages. We do thinlk, how-
ever, that rates should be so fixed
that we can continue to do this, and
at the same time keep up the prop-
erty, give the public service it has
a rilght to expect, &nd pay the own-
jers a reasonable or fair return,
either on their investment, or the
lvalue of the property, whichever is
determined to ibe just.
, "Now as to rates. I have been
wondering in what way the con-
suming pufolic has been benefited by
reducing rates. Talks for example
the reductions that have been made
in coal rates and rates on other
commodities since statehood. These
reductions have or will require the
railroads of this state to refund ap-
proximately $320,000, and this re-
fund covers, but four commodities,
ploying labor in the upkeep of their
property, purchasing and applying
needed material to equipment and
roadbed, and increasing facilities
iwhere needed to properly serve the
people.
"A small Increase in' the rates on
different commodities would be
such a small factor that the indi-
vidual consumer would never notice
tt, but it would be a step towards
reopening factories that employ la-
bor to manufacture railroad sup-
plies. It would also employ labor
to apply the manufactured material
to the equipment, bridges and road-
beds of the carriers.
"We have about reached the point
where we must stop, look and lis
ten. We are not going to Induce
capital to invest if we keep on
passing laws that wit intimidate.
I read that during the last five
years there have been passed by
congress and the legislatures of the
various states, some 6.400 laws at'
tempting in one way or another
to regulate the odustries of this
country.
"Anyone attempting to discuss the
general railway situation should
have, a remedy. I have one, and will
suggest it.
The Kemedj.
"1 believe the valuation of the
different railroads now being taken
will prove beneficial. When rates
Philadelphia's Brilliant Young Shortstop
American Steamship Sinking After German Torpedo Struck Her
ifr , • W: t • S ' "
. •.. < *%'■ *r. "<v '
HH
Jrr*
*«!>
Stem--
***** ■ v u it..
jr.
smm g
■ ■
From Left to Right: British Tug. The l>nlfliirht Sunk at the Bow. A British Tog. British Patrol Boat in Middle Background. Launch. reck Tender at Extreme Left.
This remankable photograph of the
Gnlfllght, the American oil tanker
of the Gulif Refining Company of
Pittsburgh, shows her a short time
after a German submarine torpedoed
her off the Scilly Islands. A British
tug had just reached her to tow her
into port. The photographer set out
In a tug from the KnglTsh coast and
raced out to get a view of the ves-
sel which he believed at the time
would sink.
The Gulfllgtit was owned by the
Gulf Refining Company of Pitts-
burgh. the big independent refining
oomipany. Marine Supt. Kennedy has
been sent to St. Mary's to take
charge of the veaftel. He will have
her repaired, if possible, and brought
back to the United Stats.
Bancroft, Star of Phillies.
are finally adjusted (-which I am
sure we all hope will be sqpn), they
should be high enough to produce
a surplus, the greater the surprus,
th£ better new securities will sell,
and the less the people will be
'burdened with fixed charges. If
the railroads have to continue to
borrow money, and are only allow-
ed to earn the Interest, they will
never reach the time when they
can reduce rates and live.
""Let the state, through its com-
missions, step in only when the
surplus is being wasted in too high
dividends or otherwise. Let the
Mate co-operate with the railroads
to the end* that surplus earnings
above a considerable maximum
(which, should be held in reserve
to tide over periods of depression),
toe used In carrying on new work,
or in reduring indebtedness inrur-
red in building new mileage, or
making improvements. Co-operate
and build extensions through that
part of the state that is not now
under cultivation. Would this not
•be better than our present system?
'There La a great deal of land in
this state not now under cultivation
•being located too far from the rail-
road. I believe with p-roper co-oper-
ation between the press, the rail-
road's and the people of this state,
it would be possible to induce phil-
anthropists. who are too numerous
to mention, to buy up all wild or
uncultivated land in this state
Place an agent or .representative
in the Weld to get acquainted with
honest, worthy laboring men, men
in the cities Who have families
and are endeavoring to support
them on a daily wage, divide this
land up into 80-acre tracts, build
a comfortable house and bam on
each, and place a worthy tenant
th'ereon. Supp.ly the necessary im-
plements. team, cow and chickens,
furnish seed for the first crop and
if necessary, supply the family with
sufficient food to tide them over, or
until they could raise their own
foodstuffs.
"The tenant to pay a little on his
farm each- year, or what he could
spare above his actual expenses,
the money received from this source
to be turned into a general fund
to purchase more land for the same
purpose—a sort of endless chain as
it were.
"Each tenant to pay only the ac-
tual cost of the land and improve-
ment—no interest. In case of crop
failure or other unforeseen condi-
tions, he would not be asked to
make payment i that year, and at
no time would he be required to
pay more than he* could and prop-
erly care for his family.
"When the tenant has paid the
actual cost of the farm and im-
provements, he would be given a
deed to the estate. Should the head
of the family die before the land
is paid for the widow to be given
a clear title to the porperty.
Divide Into District*.
A superintendent should be plac-
ed in charge of a district compris-
ing a certain numlber of farm's,
whose sole duty it would ibe to In-
struct the tenant In scientific farm-
ing. Sufficient schooBs, properly
located, should be provided for the
education of the farmers' children.
"I believe a plan of this kind
could *be accomplished, the high
there were more pulling together,
and less pulling asunder. If this
could be accomplished, the hifoh
cost of living would not be so ap-
parent. as men now idle in the
cities would be producers of the
soil, and those left in the cities
would be able to purchase food-
stuffs for less. In other words, the
slogan should be, "back to the farm
and produce from the soil.'
"No man, or body of men, except
those who may be trying to pro-
tect what they have already Inves-
ted (iby taking a chance and send-
ing good money after bad), will in-
vest in an industry that has the
price commodities it has to pur-
chase fixed by one organization, and
the price of comdodities It has to
sell fixed by another. This Is" prac-
KNOW THY COUNTRY
1—Introductory
"Know America" is a slogan that
should ring out from every school
room, office, farm and shop in this na-
tion. No man can aspire to a higher
honor than to becomd a capable citi-
zen, and no one can merit so dis-
tinguished a title until be is well in-
formed of the resources, possibllitlea
and achievements of our country.
This is a commercial age and cir-
lllzatlon is bearing its most golden
fruit in America. We are noted for
pur industrial achievements as Egypt
was noted for her pyramids; Jerusa-
lem for her religion; Greece for her
art; Phoenicia for her fleets; Chaldea
for her astronomy and Rome for her
laws. Likewise we have men who will
go down in the world's history as pow-
erful products of their age. For, stand-
ing at the source of every gigantic
"movement that sways civilisation Is a
great man. The greatest minds travel
4n the greatest direction and the com-
mercial geniuses of this age would
fcave been the sculptors, poets, phil-
osophers, architects, and artists of
Earlier civilizations.
As Michael Angelo took a rock and
with a chisel hewed it into the Image
;of an angel that ever beckons man-
kind upward and onward. Hill took
the desert of the Northwest and with
[bands of steel made It blossom like a
Toee, dotted the valleys with happy
homes and built cities in waste places.
As Guttenberg took blocks of wood
and whittled them into an alphabet
nd made a printing press that
flashed education across the con-
tinent like a ray of light upon
a new born world. McCormlck took
a bar of iron and bent It Into
a reaper and with one sweep of
his magic mind broke the shackles
that enslaved labor of generations yet
unborn, and gave mankind freedom
from drudgery, and lifted the human
race into a higher zone of life.
As Nelson organized the English navy
and made England mistress of the sea,
enabling the British Isles to plant her
flag upon every continent washed by
the ocean's.waves, and to make foot-
stools of the Islands of every water.
Morgan organized a banking system
that has made Amertca master of the
world's finances, brought Kings to our
cashier's windows, the nations of the
earth to our discount desks and placed
under the industries of this nation a
financial system as solid as the Rock
of Gibraltar.
There Is no study quite so interest-
ing as progress; no sound so maglo
as the roar of Industry and no sight
so inspiring as civilization In action.
A full realisation of America's part in
the great events of the world past,
present and future will thrill every
human heart with pride, patriotism
and faith in Republican institutions*
Through the courtesy of the Agri-
cultural and Commercial Press Ser-
vice, the readers of this paper will be
permitted to study America; her ag-
ricultural. manufacturing and min-
eral development, mercantile, bank-
ing and transportation systems which
are the wonder of the world. The
first article of the series will deal
with transportation and will appear
at. an eaxLv dalo
tically the predicament the rail-
roads of the country are in today. I
'Therefore, as I view it, the,great-,
est prdblem before the people so
they may have a more throuough
knowledge of true conditions, and
I know of no better way than to
take them into our confidence
though that moulder of 'public opin-
ion—the press.
"The articles that will be writ-
ten sriM dea/1 with facts only, and
we hope to place these facts be-
fore the people In a way that they
will be convinced that is to their
interest aa much, If not more, than
that of the railroads, to see that
the latter do no deteriorate 'because
of insufficient revenue.
'The state will continue to de-
velop, and the railroads must keep
pace, or Oklahoma will suilfer. The
railroads cannot get along without
the people, and I am sure the peo-
ple would not want to get along
without the railroads. Our interests
are mutual, so let's pull together,
Cor by so doing we will .be" alble to
pull the load, otherwise we will
Dot. •
"In conclusion, t wish to again
thauk you for the privilege of com-
ing before you, and assure you that
while we make mistakes (and they
are numerous on a rail 1 road employ-
ing a large number of men), they
will be mistakes of the head, and
not of the heart, as we are firm
Ibellevers in closer fellowship and
co-operation."
«DOC BIRD BAYS*—
Don't be fooled on poor Quality at
a lower Price. We do business on
Quality at a fair profft.
'Facts don't blow out."
, —Mr. Squeegee
The people who built the Pyramids did
p job that has never been beaten.
From foundations to cap-stones they
were constructed to endure.
I There was no overweight anywhere and no
part was too weak or too light to match the other parts.
Hence the lasting qualities of the Pyramids.
Diamond Tires are built, as the Pyramids
were built, to last.
Every part is made to wear just as long as
the other parts endure. ,
Consequently Diamond Squeegee Tread Tires
made a record in 1914 that has never been matched.
Send for our bock cf letters from dealers who
sold Diamond Tires in 1914.
It tells how more than 99 out of every 100 of
the more than half a million Diamond Tires sold last
year gave maximum service ct minimum mileage co6L
It is yours far the asking.
Diamond Squeejec Tires are sold at these
"FAXR-LIETED" PRICES: '
Size
1 Diamond
Diamond
| Squecgeo
Gqueegce
30 z 3
$ 9.45
34 x 4
$20.35
30x3J4
12.20
33 x
28.70
32 x 3%
14.00
37 x 5 1
33.90
33 x 4
20.00
33 x 5!^ [
4100
PAY NO. MORE
rfmen
After the game he's after one
of the cool refreshing drinks served
at our fountain.
The Quality of our Sodas—Sun-
daes—Ices-has scored the hit of
the season among the crKiical
"fans."
We're not contented with Just ait-
ting in the grandstand and watching
the game—
Had to get on the f ield —vitek
into action—so -we determined tt)
make the Quality of the beverage#
served at our fountain umsurpasa-
able—They are—You'll agree!
LIOX DRUG 00.
Wallace Wann. Prop.
Phase #).
*Ce4 It where they've got
The war fans seem to be fanning
out.
-WILD BILL** XOW THE SAFKST MAX l> BA.SKB.iLL.
moihmuii.
44 Wild Bill"
Here i "Wild Bill" Donovan, who
has turned out to be so safo and
sane that he took the rag tu« and
bobtail aggregation, known as the
Now York American League Base-
ball Ciu'b of last year, and in three
weeks of this season put them at
the top of the league.
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The Shawnee Daily News-Herald (Shawnee, Okla.), Vol. 20, No. 217, Ed. 2 Sunday, May 23, 1915, newspaper, May 23, 1915; Shawnee, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc128774/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.