The Labor enquirer., 1886-10-23
illogical Reasoning.

The following quotations are from the
Chicago Tribune:
The proposition adopted at the re.
cent Socialistic labor convention in this
city that the government shall take con
troll of all the methods of transportation
and Communication must be considered
from moral as well as material point
of view before its full effect can be ap.
preciated. Should such proposition be
carried out our entire system of trans
portation would be under political con-
troll and substantially political owner
ship"
1t ls supposed that the Tribune is
loyal vet in the above, it substantially
denies that this government is "of the
people. by the people and for the peo-
ple." 1t denies that we have representa-
tive government, inasmuch as it states
that politicians "own" the property thev
are elected to administer. 1t states that
despotism rules, yet if called upon to say
why ours is the best government in the
world, it will say that it is because we
are all equal and democratic. Now if
the Tribune actually thinks that repre-
&ntatiVes steal the wealth of their con-
sttuents; that democratic officers really
steal public wealth then the Tribune
ought to favor monarchy or else iOin the
Anarchists.
Again: "To make the roads earn in
terest on the purchase bonds, rates would
be constantly increased until business
was crippled and rnlned. Meanwhile
the property itself would be going to
waste and the politicians in power
would fatten on their plunder, stealing
millions where they now steal thou
sands, because the people would be ab-
SOlutely powerleSs to prev ent them"
The Tribune knows that nearly all
roads are bonded for large part of their
value. They are bonded because all the
profits cannot very we'll Oe paid as divi-
delds without enraging a plundered
people Interest on bonds is scheme
to absorb enormous profits. Dividends,
interest on bonds, large salaries and
other thieving schemes amount to
enough to pay for the roads in a very
few wears les than six wears; yet we
ale told that rates must be raised still
higher than the present robbery, if the
people owned the roads Could selfish
ness and subserviency to monopoly
mite to concoct a greater falsehoOd
The very evils predicted by the Iri.
bune to come upon US when we claim ur
own, are the greatest evils that exist al
ready under the system We wish to re-
move. 1t is because We are absolutely
powerless" under private on nnership Of
railroads that We wish to elect railroad
managers as state officers whom We can
remove if they plunder uS 1t Is the
tear of removal that will make them act
honestly lif thev are capable of no
higher incentive) but Jay Gould and
other nabobs are not removable. Tne.
Tribune knows it, yet tells us we would
be absolutely powerless" under men We
could vote out Of office.
The railroad kings, thieves and stock
holders are now as great burden as it
is possible for them TO be. According to
the Tribune, to run the roads at cost
would De still a greater burden, and the
editorial closes with the folio wing ap-
parent fallaCies:
Under the Socialistic system the
roads might stagger along through the
first year. Before the third was ended
the entire railroad property would not
pay fixed charges, business would be
crippled, freights and fares would be op
pressively high, national taxation would
be resorted to in order to meet the in
terest on the purchase bonds; things
would 90 on from bad to worse, and the
final chapter would be bankruptcy, re-
pudiaton, and the renting or selling Of
the whole property to private compa-
MES"
Should the government build but one
line in any locality, the parallel private
lines would be panic stricken because
they could pay no profit and compete
with road run at cost. Herein lies the
motive for opposition to governmental
railroads and telegraphs. LENo.