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EDITORIAL RAGE
The Atlanta Georgian
Published by THE GEORGIAN COMPANY
At 20 East Alabama St. Atlanta, Ga.
Entered as second-class matter at postoffice at Atlanta, under act of Mareh 3,1173
HEARST’S SUNDAY AMERICAN and THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN will
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Railroads Should Get Only What They Deserve---Nothing More and Nothing Less
T HE railroads are before the Interstate Commerce Commission asking
for permission to raise rates on the plea that they need the money.
The only question which the Interstate Commerce Commission
ought to consider is not whether the railroads NEED the money, but wheth
er they DESERVE the money.
The railroads of this country have had the most splendid inheritance of
wealth and opportunity that any institutions have ever had in the history of
the world. If they have squandered their wealth and abused their oppor
tunities it is not the duty or the obligation of the people of the United States
to compensate them for their loss or reward them for their misdeeds.
The railroads are the great public service corporations of the country.
They should render such public service as would secure for them the grateful
appreciation of the people. Yet there are perhaps no institutions in the coun
try which are so generally and so justly hated.
The railroads have proceeded upon the maxims of two great masters of
railroad interests—the elder Vanderbilt—whose motto was:
“The public be damned.”
And Collis P. Huntington, whose slogan was: /
“All the traffic will bear.”
The railroads, proceeding upon these principles, have not only op
pressed the public, but outraged the public until they have aroused a bitter
resentment and a determination on the part of the public to right the wrong
of railroad behavior.
There is no disposition on the part of the public to persecute the rail
roads, but there is a determination no longer to give the railroads more
than they justly deserve, no longer to allow them to steal from the public
preserves or pilfer from the people’s purses.
There is a determination no longer to allow them to overcapitalize in
reckless speculation and then compel the country to pay the interest on their
overcapitalization.
The people have definitely decided no longer to allow the railroads to
make the public pay both the PRICE of a monopoly and the PENALTY of
a monopoly.
The railroads have squandered their substance in reckless speculation
and overcapitalization; in the election of complaisant public officials and
the corruption of legislatures; in the creation of illegal and oppressive mo
nopolies.
It is not the part of the people to suffer under the burden of these out
rageous conditions and at the same time to pay the expenses incidental to
their formation and maintenance.
There are no more fatted calves to be killed for the prodigal railroads.
Veal is too expensive; the cost of living is too high; the times are too
hard; the fault for their lack of prosperity is too obviously attributable to the
insistent and persistent wrongdoing of the railroads themselves.
The New York Central willfully and wantonly, continually and calcu-
latingly, defies public sentiment, outrages the public’s rights and violates the
people’s laws. Shall it be rewarded for its insolence and compensated for its
illegal acts?
The New York Central is habitually haled into court to answer for its
intentional violation of the statutes against rebating and its illegal distinc
tions and discriminations between favored and unfavored shippers.
Shall it be endowed with an increase of income, so that it may pay its
fines and show a profit in its illegal transactions, so that it may continue to
oppress the public, encouraged by this spontaneous expression of public ap
proval?
Shall the New York and New Haven, which commits manslaughter as
an incident to monoply and robbery as an adjunct to railroading, also be
commended and rewarded for its civil and criminal infractions of the law?
Shall it be supplied with more money with which to bribe more legis
latures? Shall it be offered additional funds to complete its monopoly and
additional incentive to misuse its monopoly? Must the public forever pay
for the privilege of being plundered? Must the public approve arrogance, in
vite further insolence, compensate corruption and commend mismanage
ment, monopoly and manslaughter?
Certainly not. Let the railroads ask only for what they deserve, and if
they desire more consideration from the public let them show more consid
eration for the public.
Let the railroads not attempt to coerce the citizens, but to co-operate
with them.
Let the railroads not treat the country as if it were a conquered pro.
vince and the citizens a subject people.
Let them not, like the New York and New Haven, plunder and pillage
a section as if they were the ravaging columns of an invading army and the
people’s property their spoil of war.
Let them rather strive earnestly and intelligently to develop the coun
try through which they extend.
Let them endeavor to add to its resources, to encourage its production,
to increase its wealth and so themselves to profit in proportion to the pros
perity of the whole community.
Let them not form illegal monopolies at excessive expense for the evil
purpose of oppressing the public, but let them create legitimate combina-
tions for purposes of greater economy and greater public service.
Let the railroads, in a word, do their full duty to the public and they
will receive full recognition and reward from the public.
But when the railroads come unregenerate and unrepentant before the
Interstate Commerce Commission with the unconvincing plea that they need
more money with which to continue their profligate course, they have no
case, either before the public or before any honest court.
If the railroads have not all the money they need they are no exception
to the average individual and institution in these times.
Adversity is r.jore or less general. The administration which the rail
roads worked so hard to elect is partly responsible for the aggravation of
the depressed financial conditions.
No one nowadays has all the money he needs. Few have even what
they deserve. Therefore, the railroads should ask only for what they deserve
and should get only what they deserve—nothing more; and, of course, on
the other hand, nothing less.
WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST.
How To Be Eminent
By REV. 0. F. AKED, D.D, LL. D.
H OW Is a man to pereuade
the world that he 1s a very
eminent person? If you
are really eminent, and you ad
mit 1b, but the stupid world does
not, what must you do to secure
for your eminence sufficient emi
nence? And If you aro not emi
nent, but you think you are. how
ought you to set about the task
of getting the rest of mankind to
agree with you?
These serious questions are
suggested by a discussion which
has broken out In one of the
great cities of England. Unkind
persons will say that the discus
sion Is painfully English. Unkind
persons may be kindly ignored.
A finely humorous situation Is for
the .1oy of the whole enrth. The
moral of It is for us all.
A clergyman of the Episcopal
Church, receiving promotion and
removing from a great Northern
city to another part of England,
took a flying kick at his one-time
neighbors in non-conformist
churches. For the benefit of un
initiated persons who, having
lived all their lives in a land of
religious liberty and equality, fail
to grasp the distinctions of Eng
lish religious life, it may be
pointed out that the Episcopal
Church Is supposed to be THE
Church of England, while Bap
tists, Congregatlonalists, Metho
dists. Presbyferlans and all others
are merely “non-conformists.”
Well, this clerical kicker said
that when he went to the city In
question “there were at least
non-conformist ministers of emi
nence there. When I left there
was not one”—and the fat was
in the fire.
The local newspaper, one of the
great dailies of England, saw its
chance. It sent an interviewer to
some prominent non-conformist
ministers to ask them, in effect,
how they enjoyed their non-emi
nence. One supposes that the ed
itor who sent out his interviewer
had little hope of success He is
familiar with the Scriptures He
knows, with the Hebrew proverb-
builder, that in vain is the net
spread in the sight of any bird.
But he thought it was worth try
ing
They “fell for it”—blessed
phrase, untranslatable into Eng
lish! Even,' man-Jack of them
fell for it. Not one of them was
Immodest enough to declare him
self eminent. With delightful
brotherliness each suggested that
the others w r ere. Their unanimi
ty was wonderful.
The preachers In question were
conscious of each other’s emi
nence. One of them says to the
reporter that he is inclined to
doubt whethgf any notice should
be taken of the statement of
Brother W. So he proceeds to sit
up and take notice that these re
marks are “spiteful And uncalled
for, un-Ohrlstlan and imperti
nent.” He la ready with the vul
gar little boy’s “You’re another.”
He asserts that there are in the
city non-con form 1st ministers
whose names are known “far and
away beyond the borders where
Brother W. is unknown.” Asked
by the reporter for names, he
modestly declines.
This Is a very good beginning.
“The eminence which most minis
ters covet Is that of being known
as Christian gentleman,” another
preacher tells the reporter. And
he Illustrates the eminent cour
tesy of a Christian gentleman by
remarking genially that Brother
W. has been guilty of “an act of
impertinence.”
The delusion of eminence Is
first cousin to the delusion of
luck. In the long run a person
generally gets the position to
which he Is entitled. A negligent
person is negligible. Too many
of our fellows are where they are
because they have never shown
an effective desire to be anywhere
else. There Is not a trade, busi
ness, profession or calling in
which old-fashioned virtues of
courage and perseverance and in
dustry are not title deeds to as
large a measure of “eminence” as
is necessary for our happiness
and usefulness.
One of the acutest business men
that America produced In the last
generation was In the habit of
saying: "Never have anything to
do w ith an unlucky man, for there
Is no such thing as luck.” He
meant that If a man Is always
dow n and out, and If he can find
no explanation of It but bad luck,
there is something wrong some
where. There is a reason for It,
whether you know what the rea
son Is or not. And you had bet
ter beware of a man who always
has that silly excuse ready.
The man who hits the right nail
squarely on the head, and hits It
hard enough and hits it often
enough, generally has the luck to
drive it in. And this la all the
eminence that an honest man or
woman needs to worry about.
ln=Shoots
If the Toys Could Talk
SHOP. EARLY. Make it easier for the clerks and yourself. SHOP EARLY.
STARS
NO
C > V ^ T T A r-S
o i kiPES
All want to lead the simple life.
But few’ can agree as to the defi
nition of the word simple.
* • •
It is better to boast of a nice
cemetery than have a town en
tirely without attractions.
It Is wiser to select •omething
within range of your ammunition
than to aim too high.
* * •
The modern dogs of war appear
to be of the barking variety.
Charity that begins at home
often gets cold feet.
• • •
The smooth talker is sometimes
full of ragged fight.
* * •
The man who waits should be a
good watcher.
• * #
The fellows who have some
thing to say and do not know how
to say it usually do the most of
the talking.
* * *
It is easier to learn to endure
than to learn to love.
The fur anklet is said to be
nice, soft and warm. It should
prove a great attraction to the
moth.
• • •
Only a half ounce of radium in
the world, but 1.000,000 tons at
the bottom of the sea. Chance
for deep-sea fishermen.
• • *
General Valle says he will eat
his Christmas dinner in Mexico
City. Not be enough of it left by
that time to even eat.
* * *
Money said to be scarce in
Mexico. Why go so far afield?
Woman aids In rescue of cat
from top of tree. Had it been a
mouse SHE’D have been in the
treetop.
• • •
Senate pays out nation's coin
for grapefruit knives. Without
exact knowledge of what a grape
fruit knife is, we think a grape
fruit without a grapefruit knife
would be more useful than a
grapefruit knife without a grape
fruit.
• s *
Importation of arms forbidden
in Ireland. No matter; they
grow their owu shillelaghs.
Gaby Deslys says the American
man is a great big baby. What
does he care so long as he’s
rocked in the cradle of the dol
lar?
* • •
Connecticut has a woman 102
years old. What makes it no
ticeable is that she didn’t eat a
mince pie and dance the tango on
her one hundred and second
birthday.
• * • ^
Giants and White Sox are mak
ing a hit in Japan. Why not
send a baseball team to St. Pe
tersburg instead of Pincfell?
New York actress arrested for
appearing in play dealing with
vice. Didn’t know there were any
other plays this season.
• • •
Business doctor says other doc
tors guess wrong 44 times out of
74 pneumonia cases. Bound to
get some right if they diagnose
same disease all the time.
• * •
Sun now has a spot of over
405,000,000 square miles. “Spot”
seems a sort of diminutive name.
* * »
Do not give the fool too much
rope. He may lasso you.
U
Survival Value”—A New Phrase
By ELBERT HUBBARD
A
NEW phrase has been
added to our vocabulary.
Tt is the expression, “sur-
their country homes and the
places where they do business in
the city.
▼ival value."
.... uave survival value ac
cording to the degree of good
that grows out of them.
The act of planting a tree has
a survival value. The man w’ho
planted the tree had the job of
doing; the tree adds to the value
of his real estate, but the tree
will exist long after the man has
turned to dust.
Advertisements that increase
good-will possess survival value.
Literature that contains wit, val
uable information, uplift, pos
sesses survival value.
All worthy acts, all honest
work, all sincere expressions of
truth—whether by pen or voice
—have a survival value.
Civilization is a great, moving
mass of survival values, aug
mented, increased, bettered, re
fined by every worthy life. Man
dies, but his influence lives and
adds to the wealth, the happi
ness and the welfare of the world.
Art distinctly has survival
value. The artist appeals to the
age to come. What he produces
is dedicated to time. He does not
look for a quick return.
Hate, revenge, jealousy, doubt,
negation, have no survival value.
Courtesy, kindness, good-will,
right intent, all add to the sum
of human happiness. Not only
do they benefit the individual
who gives them out, but they
survive in various forms and add
to the betterment of the world.
All deeds, whether work or
play, should be judged with the
idea of survival value In mind.
The difference in men is large
ly In the way they use the hours
that are their own. Tell me
what a man does between 7 and
10 o’clock in the evening and I
will tell you what he is. Also,
I will tell you where he will be
ten years from now.
In America is a vast army of
commuters who ride back and
forth night and morning between
The majority of these com
muters expend this hour, night
and morning, in skimming the
newspapers. Some sit and talk.
Others simply sit.
Others there be who indus
triously play cards. For the most
part, card playing has no survi
val value. •
I know commuters who have
played cards for ten years. These
men are no wiser, no better, and
their lives are no fuller than they
were ten years ago.
Out of every hundred commu
ters you will find, perhaps, one
man who carries in his side pock
et a copy of Emerson's “Essays.”
Carlyle’s "French Revolution,"
Buckle’s "History of Civilization,”
or some other good book.
He may not read very much
of it, but the book is his com
panion. If he merely peeps into
it and reads half a page a day,
in five years he will be a trans
formed Individual—he will be
differentiatel from the "bunch.”
Emerson added to the wealth
of the world when he gave us
the expression, the "Law of
Compensation.”
Herbert Spencer did the same
for us when he referred to the
"Law of Diminishing Returns."
Ernest Haeckel did as much
when he spoke of the "Law of
Pivotal Points,” and the unknown
man who flung out the words
"Survival Value,” made us his
debtor.
Thoughts are the result of feel
ings.
The recipe for good writing Is
write as you feel, but be sure you
feel right. But before you write
you must have an equipment—a
literary kit—of mouth-filling, ex
pressive, far-reaching words and
phrases.
Through language we touch
finger tips with the noble, the
great, the good, the competent,
living or dead, and thus are' we
made brothers to all those who
make up the sum total of civil
ization.
^ WINDOWS a*
(Gleanings from Leigh Hunt.)
By CONSTANCE CLARKE.
O UT of my window in the first pale light
Gray morning slowly shivers into sight.
Far off the mountains shed the mists of night
And dawn smiles in a rush of saffron bright
Over the sky—the bending apple trees
Drop rosy rain and perfume on the breex*
Out of my window.
And when it storms the softly pattering rain
Draws shadowy pictures on my window pane
Blurred apple trees that twist and moan and sigh
On my window sill a broken butterfly,
Gray mountains outlined on a leaden sky—
Out of my window.
f “ ,, ”v u ln a silver n
Hang paling in a sky of amethyst
Dear dream world, pulsing through the ,
Help me to read thy secrets ail arirht
Out^of my window. wight
/