The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-10-21

did he not know that Indiana, Penn
sylvania, Michigan, Illinois and Georgia
had tried it and failed?
STATE OWNERSHIP.
CAS- early as 1896 the state of Indiana,
by act of January % of that year, en-
tered upon the construction by the
state of railroad connecting Menlison,
ON the Ohio river, with Indianapolis.
About twenty-eight miles of it was con-
structed at a cost of about 81, 200, 0O0
In 1913 the state laid down its railroad
burden, which had become greater than
it could bear, and turned it over to
private companies as provided by act
of its legislature the previous year.
1.-THE state of Pennsylvania was the
first to enter upon the experiment of
government transpor tation. 1t boldly
projected a system of canals and rail-
road construction, to be combined in
operation, provided for by legislative
authority as early as 1875 and entered
upon in 1928. Eighty-four miles of road
was built, to Columbia, and connected
with Il canal at the base of the Allie
gheny mountains. In n short time
Pennsylvania had learned that the work
of transportation was not a govern
ment enterprise. but private under
taking, which could not be managed
wisely nor well as a public function.
Michigan, soon after its admission
into the union, in 1886, entered upon an
era of government railroad construction
and operation; but unlike its sister
states sought and obtained large con-
gressional land grant. The scheme was
Il brilliant one, in the estimation of the
people, and embraced what are now the
Michigan Central, the Michigan South
ern and other lines. The absurdity of
such an undertaking BY the state was
soon made apparent. In 1916 a Boston
syndicate was induced to buy the Mich
igan Central, and the sale of the Michi-
gan Southern soon followed.
"Smarting under this disastrous fail
ure in constructing and operating rail-
roads, even with congressional land
franchise of such great value, the peO-
pie of Michigan proceeded at once to
make a repetition impossible. In 1850
it amended its constitution by adding a
provision inhibiting the state forever
from taking an interest in, or entering
upon, any work of internal improve
ment.
Massachusetts, too, got squeezed in
this government railroad trap. The
Troy & Greenfield railroad, after years
of struggle and failure, came complete
ly inA the hands of the state in 1866,
and was completed by the construction
of the Hoosac tunnel, as government
enterprise. 1t was subjected to various
plans of operation to make it self-sus-
tanning, until 1887, when it was given
up and the property transferred to a
private corporation, the Fitchburg
Railroad Co., its present owner.
''Thus the testimony of another great
state was added to the world written
verdict, that government cannot sue
cessfully compete with private enter
prise in the transportation business.
''Illinois had short but bitter expe-
rience in the transportation business.
In 1888 it built about fifty miles of rail-
road connecting the cities of Spring
field and MeredOsia, known as the
Northern Cross railroad, and operated
it for about two years 1t cost about
81, OOO,O 900, besides n heavy loss in its
operation, and was then sold for $780,
900, Just One-tenth of its cost; and, so
far as heard from, Illinois is free from
government railroad demagogues since
that sale.
''The state of Georgia built the West
ern & Atlantic railroad and opened it
for business in 1850. 1t was logical
line, with unusual advantages of loca-
ton and traffic. The utter absurdity
of government control of such an enter
prise was never more completely dem
onstrated than in the experience of
Georgia. The management became a
political exigency and a state peril; its
opportunities for gain were neglected
and its earnings frittered away for a
period of twenty years, when, in 1870,
the whole property was leased to pri-
vate corporation and is now in the
hands of a receiver.
Virginia never built or operated
railroads. 1t gave aid to some of them
by subscribing to two-ffths of their
capital stock, but never undertook their
management or assumed their pay rolls.
The only railroads owned and managed
by government in Virginia were con-
structed under the orders of Gen.
Grant.
THE PRACTICAL TEST.
Now, let me put to the practical test
of actual results the demands of Mr.
Harris that the United States adopt
the theory of monarchs and depotisms,
that we become as wise in statesman
ship, as intelligent in method, as King
Leopold, the car of Russia and Napole-
onic emperors. In Russia and Persia
the cost of freight transportation is an
unknown quantity, as it depends upon
the needs or caprice of irresponsible
monarchs. But one thing we do know,
and that is that rates are higher there
than in any other country of the world
I'm Belgium. France and Germany,
the average rate per ton per mile is l.
mills. In England and Sweden the
average rate per mile is Il mills In
the United States, taking all the states
together, it is a fraction less than 20
mills per ton per mile. In England,
Sweden, France, Belgium and Germany
the conditions affecting the traffic and
rates are similar, and, other things be-
ing equal, as low rates for transporta-
ton of freight should exist in one coun-
try as the other, whereas the rates in
England and Sweden, on roads in pri-
vate ownership, are but IA mills per ton
per mile, while in France, Belgium and
Germany, on government roads, the
rate is II mills per ton per mile.
1.-THE whole fabric of Col Harris con-
illusions is built upon ignorance or 4
studied purpose to deceive. In the
light of all experience the truth is just
the reverse of his statements. The cost