Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-07-17
Government Ownership of Railroads..

Government Ownership of Railroads..
No question of governmental policy is
of greater concern to the people at the
present time than the control OF cor
porate power, and of the corporations
railroads are by far the most important
Our industrial and commercial welfare
depend upon their control. There are
two main factors which enter into the
question of Government ownership; the
one is financial and the other political.
Private capital and individuals take the
place of the Government in constructing
the railroads, therefore they must serve
the people as the Government would
serve them, or retire. They must not
show the spirit which Jay Gould mini-
tested when he was contonding with the
citizens of Columbus concerning
road which he was building
in that S cton. when he said,
"Ccntlcmcn, | can make or unmake
your city" and the condition of that
city during the period Immediately fol-
lowing proved the truth OF his statement
The ia road corporations d. not stand
i'm the same relation to the people and
the Government as other property, for
thcy, in their construction, exercise The
right of eminent domain, thus placing
themselves directly under the contro! OF
the Government, But as they p rsist in
exercising the rights of a private citizen.
the Government must take control as
tho only ALTERNATIVES Railroads exist
for the people. not the people for the
railroads
Having shown that it is a duty of the
30 eminent to own and control railroads,
we may proceed to the financial and
>e 1,,.
The principal reasons why Govern
expenses and steals may be lcSsened,
thereby reducing the rates.
The policy of the Government in re-
gard to the postal system has always
been to give to the people the service de-
sired at the lowest rate, while on the
other hand it is the policy Of the rail-
roads to give the least amount OF service
for the money paid. which the people
will accept rather than not to use them:
thersfore we have reason to believe that
Government ownership and control will
give us the desired results.
Government ownership will do away
with parallel roads, as there will then
be no need of competition, which so
many have claimed was our only hope,
but which has failed This is one of the
many sources of expense which will be
stopped.
We have tried in vain to regulate rates
by maintaining a system of water routes,
but these affected but a small area and
but for a part of the year. and it is
very easy matter for the railroads to
raise rates as soon as the canals or rivers
become impossible. 1t would be far
more feasible plan for the Government
to bui d parallel railroads throughout
the entire country, for railroads have
taken business away from the best water
routes in existence.
For these reasons it would be more
practical to invest the amount which
they annually appropriate for this pur-
p,se in railroads, so that all would re-
ceive the benefit instead of few recev-
ing small benefit from the waterways.
Another source of expense will be
stopped, in that many officers who are
now we'll paid will not be required, as
they are simply to obtain transportation
for their respective routes.
The great railroad debt is now fast
becoming of Importance, amounting to
81, 377, 600, 900, the interest upon which
is S1S7, 100000, or about SO per capita.
All this must come out of the people in
the end, and since we must pay this vast
amount, would it not be far better that
the railroads should come into the hands
OF those who are directly responsible, for
in countries where the roads are owned
by the Government there is no such
debt and the roads pay from 4 to per
cent upon the investment
There is a great power for good or
evil in the hands Of railroad President,
Of 1aybn hov
sciences. They have always read their
Bibles differently from the majority.
The passage which most of us read as
GO sell all that thou hast and give to
the poor" they have read as "Go save a
surplus, then make sagacious invest
ment."
Some maintain that the commission
will do away with all these evils. They
would have national commission OF
five, with State commission of from
three to five, each receiving a large
salary, for they must have the best
talent the land affords. We would have
these men take entire control, thus saw.
ing double expense, for we are in the
interest of those who must pay Our
! object is to reduce the rates to mini
mum. And even without this advantage
it would take a strong-minded commits
sioner to withstand the temptation OF
the railroad Doodle.
All regulation of railroads tends tc
concentrate them under one head, as
has already been the case to some ex.
tent, and further legislation will drive
them still further under one control.
which. unless it is the Governments, will
WELD a mighty power, and be harder tc
crush than the separate ones The
power OF corporation having under its
control one-tifth of the capital OF the
United States, and one seventh of the
people dependent upon it, can scarcely
be imagined. And when we reflect tina
it is one of the primary duties of tn.
Government to furnish transportation
facilities, we can but believe that the
Government ought to own and control
railroads and all other iEstitutions which
have such a vital effect upon the people
IT. +. w, i't SioMr City U1,iuersitl
! Graphic.
Why Alliance Men Join tho People
Party.
Tho D,,ostion Tho