The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1884-01-10
Not Al wise Measure,

Ac - biS ~ inet AtVs ~ S~R~~e~~
to find great statesmen who are a.
the same time great business men
The two might well enough agree y
the mental gifts were justly balanced
but unfortunately your great states
man is hardly ever man oil affairs
His eye may roam over the worlds
activities and even penetrate the
secrets Of cabinets and councils, but
1t often happens, and too often fol
the good government OF mankind
that the able statesman knows nexl
to nothing Of business matters and
so makes muddle of his schemes tc
benefit the race. Senator Edmunds
is statesman built something after
this plan. He is fruitful in sugges
tions and rich in expedients, but the
sound judgment OF the man of affairs
is very often wanting in his plans
His most recent idea is the construc
ton Of four grand lines of posta
telegraph. He does not favor US
with tull explanation Of this grand
enterprise, but it max be assumed
from the start that II proposes to
invest the Government with con-
Germs which the Government might
Just as we'll let alone. There are
some things which the Government
should commit to private enterprise,
and that which individual or cor
porate energy and capital can well
and successfully manage and con-
duct, without becoming an oppres-
sive monopoly, might with great
propriety be entrusted to private
effort and enterprise. Whatever
tends to extend the power of the
Government and increase its legion
of office holders is not public bene-
fit, but rather the contrary, and as
such against the spirit Of the true
independence and liberty of the citi-
zen. But the worst of it Is the Scna-
tors plan does hot even propose q
system calculated to benefit the peo-
pie who at far distant points, might
need it most, but seems TO be intend
ed for the benefit and advantage OF
the large cities. If post telegraph
is required the first duty would seem
to be to the villages anc remoter
parts which are not served by pri-
vate enterprise. And yet this would
be an immense undertaking, as the
Government would have to put up
poles and wire them along all the
county roads, involving an enormous
expenditure OF money and adding to
the number of office holders still
many thousands more The Star
route business under such a plan
would be repeated over again and
the matter likely lead TO more cor
ruption and new opportunities fol
public scandal. The Senator takes
what some people might call pub
lie view Of the matter, sort o.
statesman's glance, but no such
scheme would commend itselt to Q
business man, and therein all The
mistakes which SD called statesmen
make usually lie. Most OF these
plans and schemes, however, have i
political or party end in view, ano
are, for that reason, unworthy I"
puplic consideration. Postal teie
graph might he good thing, hut II
anything of the kind was .de.me'
necessary and the people favored IT.
as before stated, it is not hetweei
the large cities where there are al
ready ample facilities furnished u
tile people at moderate cost, thai
the need WOULD most be felt or It's al
vantages be generally admitted, bu
in the conntry districts where ther'
are no lines or the rates are helf
dreadfully high. But the whole ide'
OF Government telegraph is radi
cal departure from a true line 0
governmental policy and ought to b
Observation-Disclosures Register.