The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-04-01

While the alliance is frankly in favor
of government ownership of railroads,
it would be great mistake to suppose
that it is alone in that position. 1t
will be remembered that some time ago
President Blackstone of the Chicago &
Alton road suggested that the govern
ment take charge of that road. He
pointed out practicable method of
making the transfer from private to
public hands. The suggestion made
something of sensation at the time,
as it well might, for it came from
man who could see the difficulties of
the proposition better than could those
not familiar with the railroad business.
But it was natural to say of Mr.. Black
stones opinion that it was not shared
by others equally we'll qualified to ex-
press one, that it was an exception to
the consensus of railroad men-an ex-
ception which proved, rather than dis
proved, the rule. Now, however,
comes another railroad man of long ex-
perience and undoubted capacity
General Manager Furber of the Boston
& Maine road-who says: &c wish
the people here would have the pluck,
as the German government has the de-
termination, to take care of their own
railroads. L am willing, yea, even
glad, to let the state control the rail-
roads. So far as l am concerned,
wish the state would do it right away"
How many other railroad men would
say the same thing if they had the
frankness of Mr.. Furber, is matter for
fruitful conjecture. They are probably
more numerous than one would sup
pose.
Some of the arguments in favor of
federal ownership in railroads are as
sound as reasonable people could
ask for. Why should not the general
government manage railroads if state
governments do the same with high
ways? Railroads are another form of
highway, and if state assumes the
ownership and management of its roads
and streets, it or the general govern
ment is fully justified in taking the
more extensive means of communica-
ton into its hands. In both cases the
assertion of the right of ownership is
the assertion of the right of the public
to do public business, instead of leav-
ing it to private corporations, remotely
responsible to the public which they
are supposed to serve.
The immense power which the own
ers of railroads have come to hold is in
itself a reason for apprehension. Judge
Cooley, chairman of the interstate
commerce commission, is authority for
the statement that the attempts of the
government to limit the arbitrary &C.
ton of railroad corporations have
amounted to very little and are I" too
insignificant to be spoken of as possess
ing substantial value" The power of
the 500 or more railroad corporations
of the country to make and alter tariff
rates is practically unlimited. No one
who has watched railroad legislation in
Vermont need be reminded that the
railroads never fail to get what they
want, which is simply " to be let
alone" The money which is accumu-
lating in the pockets of railroad own
ers is all-powerful in its influence on
state legislatures and congress, and
there is probably no one factor in mod
ern politics so powerful as the railroad
interest. This influence is directed
first to the financial benefit of the cor
porations themselves, and then to the
public. If it were otherwise, there
would still be question as to the
advisability of entrusting public bust
ness to private agents; but while the
railroad interest is evidently hostile in
many ways to clean politics and the
best welfare of the public, it is time to
seriously consider the transfer of the
management TO the state.
One reason which will deter people
from wishing to see the government
take charge of the railroads is the fear
that the service will not be as good as
it is in private corporations. Many be-
lieve that the government would be
slow in establishing new lines and in
making improvements. This would
very likely be the case in many in
stances, but over against that fact it
may be said that lines might be built
in sections that would not pay the full
expense of operation. Letters are now
carried for two-cent stamp to towns
which no private corporation would
serve at that price. So the immense
profit on roads about the great cities
could be in part devoted to the support
of roads in sparsely.settled sections of
the country The parallel between the