The advocate., 1891-01-21

AOulu lhbb mOubn, WnlCh comes I'd ub
through the Kansas City Tines, Is per-
haps the most important contribution 20
current political literature the "wizzard"
has ever made. The first point 10 IN
these words, replying to the question as
10 the desirablllty Of a United States
bank, after tho Hamilton Gallatln- Craw-
ford plan, TO perform the service 10 the
finances Of the country now usurped by
the treasury. He says:
hardly think that would do now. u
would speedily become political machine.
do not 500 how in our country,
with things as we have them, you could pre-
vent such bank falling under tho control
OF partleans and the political powers at
Washington. What, 10 seems 10 me, we
need In this country, Is some hexibility In
our Congressional system, as tho British
have. When vote OF confidence Is not
forthcoming over there, the parliamentary
leaders and his followers step right out, and
there iB no such cOnvulsiOn, delay and OK
p0nse as are here required. The actual OK.
executives Ia England keep on, but the par
hamontary leaders change. Now, In the r0-
cent elections, that would have been the
way, the speedy way, 20 turn out those lead
ers, or turn them down for the time being,
who had not satisfied the public oXpeota-
tiOns
The second point Mr.. Gould makes is
In relation TO railroads. lie says:
The greatest stroke Of economy in the
American railway system would be 10 oper-
ate 10 all uner q general management. Ex
ceesiye competition, invasion OF parallel
districts with other lines the multiplication
of oiiicors-all that Ia expensive, and a true
economy would find some way out Of II.
Mr. Gould is rapidly obtaining control
OF new lines and systems, and with the
power Of great wealth, increasing at a
geometrIcal ratio, will soon be in position
10 dictate TO the whole American railway
system, when II may be assumed that the
whole railway property Of the country
will be concentrated under and controlled
by a single authority, and very likely, lei
the change comes in time, Mr.. Gould's
influence will dominate that authority.t
Like all other branches Of business the
railroads are seeking economy in con-
structloD, and are trying to diminish the
evils and burdens Of competition by COM
blnatlon in operation, If not in owner
ship.
At first sight this tendency will not
meet with the approval Of those whose
contributions, in the way Of business,
constitutes the vast income Of this invest
ment, but to me it seems as o step In the
direction Of a resumption by the people
Of actual and practical control Of the
franchises, granted in times past to pri-
vate individuals The seventh OF the ST.
Louis demands reads:
We demand that the means OF communal
cation and transportation shall be owned by
and operated in the interest OF the people,
as 10 che United States postal system.
In the transition period, between the
initial and final acts In this drama Of
Capitalization, many questions Of control
will arise, and as the power OF Congress,
or the people through Congress, TO gov
ern absolutely all creatures, whether
natural or corporate, especially those
whose relations TO the public are such as
to make their actions the subject OF pub
lie interest must be made more and more
complete, and no doubt the necessity for
the exercise Of such power viii be made
more and more apparent The laws Of
the people from which our Ideas Of SOW
ereignty are derived declare, 1.-THE King
can do no wrong" and In our country the
,,oo,,lo ora KtnO roo, ,,on,iB ann Det Ia