Page:The truth about the railroads (IA truthaboutrailro00elli).pdf/21

The railroad is working hard to do its part, but it cannot accomplish the impossible, and it needs the careful thought, judgment, and help of men in business life, who need to have the railroads grow and improve. The railroad system of the United States is a great piece of commercial machinery, essential to every one in this complicated modern civilization; without this piece of machinery, there could not be the volume of business—agricultural, manufacturing, and commercial—that there now is. The magnitude of these transactions is so great that this piece of commercial machinery must be kept in the very best order, and its capacity must be increased all the time. Without this, much business could not exist; on the other hand, without the business, this piece of commercial machinery would be idle and rust. The relation between the two is very close. Injustice and unfair treatment of either by the other is sure to react, and this fact is a much safer insurance against any injustice on the part of railroads than attempting to manage by legislation all of their affairs in great detail.