Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1890-11-10
alisnn."

The first step, he says. should be the
naturalization of telegraphs and tele-
phones. He says that the constitution
makes it the business Of congress to es-
tablish and conduct a postal service. The
business of this service is the transmits
sion of intelligence Since the constitu-
ton was adopted electrical invention has
rendered the telegraph and telephone
essential factors in this work. There
fore, 1T is not merely constitutional to
establish government telegraph; it is
unconstitutional not to do So" Mr.. Bel
lamy clearly shows the wisdom Of such
step by the government. for the benefit
of those who have not already seen it;
but it is my firm belief that four-ffths
of the people of the United States are
ready for this step without further argu-
ment The second step advocated is the
establishment of a parcel express service,
which. like the telegraph. should be d
part Of the postal system.
The third step. according to Mr.. Bel
lamy. should be national assumption OF
control over railroads-that is, govern
ment ownership. He says the constitu-
tiona1 warrant for this action is found in
the clause which gives congress power
to regulate commerce with foreign ma
tons and among the several states.
This is in accord with the principle long
ago recognized and applied to wagon
roads and bridges. AS Mr.. Bellamy
says: "A considerable part of these high
ways. then the only means of commerce.
were owned by private companies. which
made profit by tolls on travel and
traffic" What community that now
has state and county roads would vote
to return to the old toll road system! OF
course there is u great deal to consider
in connection with government owner
ship of railroads, but not one sound OBJ
lection can be raised. Under such a
plan the service could be greatly i'm
proved and the charges reduced at least
80 per cent. the first year. No one needs
to be told that as ut present operated
mot only are the charges exorbitant.
but the treatment of the public by
the arrangements is in a large proper
ton of cases capricious, veX;itious. over
bearing and arbitrary.
The fourth step proposed by Mr.. Bel
lamy is the naturalization Of the Goa
mines. Coal is of such Importance to the
people of the United States that it is a
crime to longer allow it to be controlled
by rapacious. corner making cornorants,
who care nothing for the necessities Of
the householder or manufacturer, who,
to put money in their already well filled
pockets. starve out the fires in stove,
CRATE and furnace. and turn the half
paid miners away from their only means
of subsistence whenever ii syitS their
sweet pleasure. The coal that the Creator
put here in the earth belongs to tile peo-
pie, and no private individual or corpo-
ration has any right to monopolize it,
and the sooner the people CLAIM their
own the better.
The assumption by municipalities Of
local public services. such as lighting.
heating. water supply and transit. is the
fifth step in Mr.. Bellamy's programme.
There are cities in this country in which
one or more of these services are already
municipalized. Private ownerships of
water works. believe. is now the excep-
ton. 1t does not require any argument
to support this fifth step. The fact is
that it is in the main SO just and desir
able that it should move right along in
Its proper place with the steps by the
national government. Mr.. Bellamy dis
cusses several other features of the