The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-05-09
conclusion as to what they should


conclusion as to what they should
be.
Whether the state, through proper
commissioners and officers, can carry
on the employments that are. now
carried on and conducted by corpor-
ations so that the hours of labor
may be diminished and the laborer
and his family ameliorated is prob
lem not yet solved this much / think
may be conceded, that without de-
parting from the lines of legislation
which are now recognized as a part
of our system, we may, by adequate
and not unjust taxation not only
afford common schools for all the
children of the land, but homes,
culture and manual education as
well.
Not only can we provide, as we now
do, the necessaries of life and homes
for the paupers of our country, we
can on the same principle furnish,
without oppressive taxation, homes
and temporary support for all who
are, owing to the situation, without
means of employment or support.
We spend millions annually for the
prosecution, conviction, confinement
and punishment of the criminal
classes, but very little for the proven
ton of crime, by caring for those
who in their tender years OF child
hood are left to grow up in destitu-
ton and unframed in any employ
ment by which they may earn an
honest livelihood. We may take
possession, on adequate compensa-
ton being made, OF the properties of
our railroad corporations which in
fact are but an arm OF the govern
ment, and operate them with at least
as much advantage to the public as
they are now operated by the cor
porations, by degrees we can advance
on these lines until the people become
habituated to the changes, and event
ually, in case the masses are develop
ed and enlightened by experience and
rational education, poverty, so far
as that term means want of the nee
essaries OF life, will disappear
1t has ever been the claim of the
conservative writer's on this subject,
that by placing the power OF control
ing great public works in the officers
of the state or nation there will be
given too much power to these Off
GERS and this power will be used to
retain political place, and the hand
ling OF great sums OF money will lead
to great corruption.
This is a grave consideration. II
the result should prove as predicted
by these men, it would be the part of
wisdom to withdraw from govern
ment even the powers it now pos
sesses.
The nation, through an army of
officers has exclusive control OF the
carrying of letters and all mail mat
ter.
Under late legislation the inter-
state railroad commission has been
blished and will be followed by
an additional enactment which will
result in placing tremendous power
in the hands of government and it's
officers.
: No one who is we'll informed will
seek to withdraw from the govern
ment the powers now existing on
these subjects.
Municipal corporations have been
and yet are the hot-beds of corrup-
ton. This corruption is rather due
to the failure of the people to interest
themselves in public affairs than to
the system of municipal government.
In our own city the water works were
formerly owned by corporation.
1t was thought a good move for the
municipality to purchase these works
and they have ever since been con-
troled and operated by the city
Who would desire a return OF the old
system by which they were operated
by private corporation. This city
granted franchises to a private cor
poration to construct and operate
street car lines. These franchises are
now worth many hundred thousand
dollars including Of course the tracks
and rolling stock. Had the munich
pality improved itsstreets by con-
structing and operation these rail-
ways, in what respect would it differ
from the construction and operation
of our city water works?
/ cannot at this time give the SUBJ
ject more than a very casual consid-
GRAFTON but it seems to me that the
claim that the owning and operating
of our railroads by the government
will confer too much power on the
officers of the state or nation is tri-
fling compared with the power and
corrupting influences OF the private
owners of railroad stocks under our
present system. And the constant
Generalization of business resulting
from railroad competition and
changes in rates on freight that are
made not in the interest of the pub
lie but that competing lines may OBJ
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