Show I. I Is Public Opinion Changing Changing- I P PRESIDENT l GEORGE A. A POST of the Railway Business a association s has issued a little booklet booklet book book- I let C filled with facts and figures fibres concerning the recent re recent recent re- re cent legislation in Ii the various arious states regarding railroads railroads railroads rail rail- roads and it wot would d seem scent to indicate that the wind of ot public opinion which has been blowing steadily steadily steadily stead stead- ily against the railroads s for the past half dozen years is changing Mr Post s sees eeg in ill his figures an indic indication tion that the people are arc beginning to believe that the railroads ought to be helped instead of hampered and that extension of branch lines bythe by bythe bythe the great tran transportation systems will not be the governing poli policy y until the railroads get better treatment treatment treatment treat treat- ment from the public For instance Mr Sir Posts Post's booklet shows that forty state stale leiis legislatures were in session in 1911 and That the they y passed laws concerning railroads s as against laws in 1009 1909 This year ear twenty four states adopted little or no legislation affecting railroads rail rail- roads He sa says say's s 's that Alabama Oklahoma South Carolina Tennessee Texas and West Yest uia have now begun began to encourage railway construction and hostile legislative c or popular demonstrations against the tho railroads have been almost completely ended in ut those states The governors of Texas Oklahoma Alabama and anti Iowa who took office January 1 made their campaigns on lines Jines of encouragement of capital capital capital capi capi- tal of all kinds including railroads President Posts Post's booklet would seem to show that public opinion is veering that the tho hue an and cry against the railroads is ending and that constructive constructive tiry tive legislation instead of destructive is to be the theor or order er of the da day One wonders however whet whether her herthe the recent apparent disposition of the railroads to g give ve the people a square deal is not the cause rather than a n. change in ju public opinion While the attitude e of the people undoubtedly is changing there can be no question that the railroads s also have hae changed their policies Dr Cook the explorer w who ho went abroad for a lecture tour but abandoned th the idea after a l hot re reception reception re- re at Co Copenhagen has lias sailed for home Cook ought to complete his hi experiences by looking for gold in ill iii the tIC rear hoof of an an alm army mule or 01 springing a n. hl upon a person with no sense of humor Speaker Champ lark Clark predicts that the Republican insurgents will bolt the tIle party next year rear and run for President There Them is lu danger of that thai it would cn anger er the insurgent ben ut t proximity to the thc pie pic c counter lt un and your real insurgent is very verv fond of pi pie pic I |