March i, 1907. 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



185 



Rubber Men Hear Transportation Discussed. 



NEW E N G L A N D R U B B F. R CLUB'S DIN N E R . 



GOOD company, good {oHowsliip, good appetite are invariably 

 the cliaracteristics of the various meetings of the New 

 England Rubber Club, and the rule held good at its annual 

 n\id\vinter banquet in Boston, on Wednesday evening, February 

 13, at the Hotel Brunswick. It had been intended to give this 

 banquet at another place, and the arrangements had been per- 

 fected, when this announcement was sent out : 



'The executive committee of the New England Rubber Club 

 has to advise its members that, consequent upon an agitation 

 undertaken at the present time by Boston's leading legal luminary 

 with regard to the rights of private clubs in this city, it has been 

 decided not to avail on this occasion of the kindly hospitality of 

 the New Algonquin Club, and in substitution to hold the annual 

 ban(|uet ami reception of the Club at the Hotel Brunswick.'" 



B\U the rubber man can be happy anywhere, and especially 

 happy they were in the parlors of the Brunswick, where Presi- 

 dent Paul introduced the guests of the evening to the members, 

 while the entertainment committee saw to it that everybody knew 

 everybody else. ITie dining room was tastefully decorated, and 

 the dinner attractive in itself and delightfully served. There 

 were present about 150 members and guests. 



It was 8.30 when President Alexander M. Paul wielded his 

 hard rubber gavel for the members to sit up and take notice. 

 After a few words of welcome he called attention to the fact 

 that the value of the total manufactures of New England in 1905 

 was $2,000,000,000, an increase of 25 per cent, over 1900. fn the 

 same time the mcrease in the value of rubber products was about 

 75 per cent., thus showing that while New England was making 

 excellent progress in general manufacturing, the rubber industry 

 was making a far better relative showing. Then, speaking of 

 the importance of railroads to the progress of the country, he 

 nitroduced as the first speaker Mr. T. E. Byrnes, first vice-presi- 

 dent of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad. 



JfST at this time the railroads appear to be the subject of ad- 

 verse criticism, and Mr. Byrnes spoke on the defensive in his 

 address on "Some Phases of the Transportation Question in 

 New England." Mr. Byrnes believed that proper agitation of 



any important question would bring about benefits, but knowledge 

 of the conditions is a prerctiuisite to proper criticism. 



"The statesmen have been honestly trying," he said, "to solve 

 the transportation problem, under the leadership of our country- 

 loving President, Roosevelt, who has made honesty fashionable, 

 and who has brought renewed honor and glory to the American 

 nation. The difficulties between the transportation companies 

 and the public seem to be : That the public believes that facili- 

 ties are inadequate, that rates are too high, that railroads are 

 arrogant and indifferent to public needs. The railroad interests 

 claim railroad officers are intelligent and progressive, and that 

 the demands and criticisms of the public are unfair and unjust." 



In the old days of small, short line, locally owned and managed 

 railroads, complaints were easily and quickly adjusted right on 

 the spot. To-day, if a passenger make? a complaint, he usually 

 does one of three things. He roasts the railroad in the news- 

 papers; he introduces a bill into the legislature; or he goes to the 

 club and orders a high bail and damns the management. It is 

 the intention of the management of the New York, New Haven 

 and Hartford to make it the model railroad of the country. New 

 rolling stock has been ordered to the amount of $25,000,000. .\n 

 improvement contemplated is to give additional service, using 

 trolley lines to collect freight at the shippers' door, and deliver- 

 ing it, in the same manner on the premises of the consignee, 

 thus saving cartage, which to-day frequently amounts to 50 per 

 cent, of the entire freight charges. 



It is to the interest of the railroad that manufacturing indus- 

 tries thrive along its line. Otherwise the road cannot e.xist as a 

 paying institution. Therefore the railroad must take as great an 

 interest in the prosperity of the manufacturers as if it were a 

 partner in the business. To the people, we would say, stand up 

 for your transportation companies as you do for your town. 

 There never was a time when there were as many honest men in 

 the country as there are to-night, and there never was a time 

 when the railroads were endeavoring more to cooperate with the 

 people on whom they depend for their own prosperity. 



* * * 

 Ex-Co.\GREss.M.\N S.\MUEL L. PowERS, of Massachusetts, was 



next introduced. 



T. E. Byrnes. 



Samijei. I.. Powers. 



Ch.-\ri.es E. Adams. 



