The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1890-02-28
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP,
Railroad President and Alliance
Leader Agree.

The proposition for the government
ownership of railways is receiving
support from an unexpected quarter.
President Blackstone of the Chicago
and Alton road has recently come out
boldly in its favor. The Sioux Falls
Press of Tuesday comments on his
decidedly unique position. President
Blackstone even goes so far as to de-
wise a scheme of purchase. He pro-
poses that the government pay for the
roads by the issuance of bonds bearing
three per cent. interest-one per cent.
of these bonds to be redeemed every
year.
Tuesday evening REPUBLICAN rep
resentative found.at the Ssnborn house
the Hon. j. w. Harden, of Aberdeen,
for years the especial champion of gov
ernmentr ownership in the Farmers AL
lance, and elected some interesting
points regarding his railroad views.
Referring to the editorial in the Press
Mr.. Harden said: "The position it ac-
credits to president Black stone is to
me a matter for mingled surprise and
satisfaction. This is due not only to
the fact that railroad magnate posing
as champion of government owner
ship presents spectacle without pre-
cedent, but also to the fact that his
scheme of purchase and control is al
most Identical to one that | drafted
and had presented at the meeting of
the territorial alliance in Mitchell four
years ago. Was unable to attend the
meeting but on request wrote a letter
to president Loucks outlining scheme
of government ownership that | had
hadunder advisement for several years
That letter was read before the alli-
ance and provoked considerable dis
cussion-not all of it favorable My
scheme in brief provided for the is
suance of S5.0O0,00O,eOO of 215 per cent
bonds to the railroad and telegraph
companies payable in fifty years. This
is the amount | estimated after care
full investigation that would be neces-
sary to reproduce the railway and tel
egraph lines. The government on be-
coming the owner should establish
such rates as would pay operating eX-
penses, interest on the bonds, one pei
cent. of the debt as sinking fund fol
its liquidation and small per cent. to
provide fund for the construction OF
! new lines as they were needed. This
plan you observe is almost duplicate
of that proposed by president Black
stone. 1t resembles it too in proyid-
ing for all employees of the govern.
ment to be under the most riged civil
service rules. There should be no re.
| movals save for cause and then the
the employe should have the right OF
appeal.
At the national alliance meeting a,
Des Moines last fall l offered a resolu
tion favoring government ownership
of railroads and telegraphs. 1 outlined
in the succeeding discussion this plan
presented four years before at the ter
ritorial alliance and it received unani
nous endorsement. That similar
plan should now come from so unex
pected source as president Black
stone of the Alton road is matter O
the greatest surprise. 1t augurs wei
for government ownership. Indeed
feel sanguine that, with railroad mag
mates and farmers alliance member
striking hands for united effort, gov
ernment ownership of railroads will
soon become a fact"
| Mr.. Harden folded up the Press, gu
Of which he had taken the text for hi
interesting homily and stuck it in hi
pocket with as much complacent salts
faction as though he had just enjoyed
a big slice of Bellamy's millennium
st any rate that's the way 1T struc
the reporter.
What Does 1t Mean?