The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-06
National ownership of'Railroads.

Editor Times:
The subjoned extract from the London
CEng.) Times may serve 10 point a warning
to the Third party people and others
amongst US who are anxious 10 see the Ma
tiOnal Government own and work the rail-
roads and IN other ways go into business on
behalf of the people and with their money.
The warning cited comes from one of the
Australian colonies. where institutions al
most analogous 10 the republican ones OF
this country are existent. and much the
same forces are operative IN the formation
of parties and governments. The case IS
strong argument IN favor OF the position
which all thinking men of moderate views
have taken for many years-ylz. that tho
business of government is to goYeIn-tnat
is. to execute laws and preserve order not
to enter into trading and business specuia-
tiOns. These should be- left to the tree
action and initiation Of the individual MEN,
bers of the community and the closer any
Government adheres TO this line Of policy
the freer will be tho Government from dam
aging assault and tho happier the lot Of the
people. >. r. JACKSON.
1T is satisfactory to know that the
charges brought against blr. Eddy. the
chief commissioner OF railways IN New
South Wales. by BIZ. Schey have been de-
clared by the commission appointed TO IN
yestigated them to be absolutely without
foundation in fact. is not so satisfactory
10 know that the commission have also
found that Mr.. Schey made these false
charges recklessly. Naturally the report OF
the commission has excited considerable
feeling in the colony, and Mr.. Schey's reck-
less charges may do good III securing. Tor
some time to come at any rate. the nOn-pOllt-
ical management OF the state railways. Dir,
Eddy went out from England as an expert
10 manage the railways OF the colony
on business principles. We're ne to write a
full and true account Of the condition IN
which he found the management OF the
New South Wales railways after their ad-
ministration as part of the political machine,
OF the difficulties he encountered in his 81
ggntic task of reducing the stah TO reasona-
BILE dimensions AMI OF introducing order
and economy in the management. be would
supply perhaps the most useful lesson
which could DO furnished 10 the advocates
of States socialism Of the consequences of
their system. all the more instructive be-
cause il would not be Necessary for his pur-
pose to bring charges of personal mlscon-
duct against any individual. The system
alone was sufficient TO produce the re-
suits actually produced. The RESPONSE
bic minister was bombarded with appli-
cations for posts on tho railway from
every part OF the country. Each
applicant was convirced-as each APP
plicant in such cases always is convinced
that whoever else was refused. his applica-
ton must 90 granted. and the inevitable re-
suit followed. until at length the scandal
became So great that a complete reform was
forced on the Government. and Mr.. Eddy
was appointed TO inaugurate the system OF
On-poltical management. IL IS easy to see
that Mr. EddY's task was no light one. and
that if he did his duty he must inevitably in
cur the hostility of many of those whose inter-
ests were bound up with the former system.
Fortunately lie has been able 20 withstand
the attacks made upon him. and the healthy
public opinion of the colony has now appa-
rently so strongly expressed itself in favor
OF the new system that there is every pros
pect of the management of the State rail-
ways being placed on q permanently salts
factory footing"
1T is much TO be hoped that Mr.. Eddy
will publish full and faithful account OF
the condition of tho management of the
State railways in New South Wales as he
found it. II would no doubt explode many
fine socialistic theories.-Eps.l