Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-01-13
BUT FEW WEREOUT
Al Yesterdays Meeting OF the
Farmers Club.
or The RAILWAYS
Was the SUBJECT fos Dsseussion-A Pspes
by Secretary Slayton Is Read--The
Question Discussed BY Members.

The January meeting OF the West /
Michigan Farmers elub Was held yes
teyday Afternoon in the city hall With
small attendance. la the absence OF |
President Pearsall. Vice-president Z. r. |
Bosworth presided, and Secretary Stay |
ioa having been called out of the city = |
reporter tor THE HERALD acted as sec |
retary The subject, Government Con-
troll or the Railroads. was taken up for
discussion. Secretary siay,on sent =
paper On the subject, which Was read
aud WAS IS follows:
"Should the government own the
railroads No, Should II control themg
les. absolutely, II need be. Not own
theta, because Michigan once tried the
ownership of railroads until she be-
came deeply involved ind II took Us
nearly fifty years to pay oil the five
million dollars for the experiment.
Some of the European governments do
own their railroads, as Italy, Russia
and SPAN, and may manage them
profitabiy ana to the benefit of their
subjects. But IN government "by the
people" every legislative, judicial and
executive officer. from the highest TO
the lowest, should be elected by the
law abiding people. | say iaw-abiding
because l think that every person who
knowingly breaks q law should be dis
iranchised for period or years pro-
portioned by the offence. In that way
would the influence of saloons and
brothels be eliminated from elections.
Evils of Ownership.
Just 50 far as the appointing power Is
admitted in our form OF government,
just so far do We approach absolutism;
and the attempt to exercise impartially
such power already conferred, hasprob-
ably sent three presidents 10 their
graves; has rotted to the core the gov
eminent of our five largest cities, and
has bankrupted the morals-lf they
ever had anv--of the two great politl-
cal parties. / believe the safety of our
institutions lies IN the line of reducing
to minimum the positions OF appoint
ment IN the government. How, then,
would railroads owned by the govern
ment DO managed and run? All will
concede the impossibility of electing by
popular vote the hundreds of thou.
ca Dds of employees for the manv roads
operating in the different states; and,
If they were TO be manned by appoint
4
stand appalled, at the wIre-pulling, log
rolling, chlcanery, corruption, that
would permeate every artery, vein and
capillary of political life. Boss Tweed's
rule would be immaculate as compared
with it; and he, guileless angel of
meekness and purity.
Think of the scramble for office and
the spoiis, and the uncertainty and un.
Ia ma nh IF h,rs Oh fyy m
years. Think of the uneasiness Of the
sins and the desperation of the "outs,"
and the oft-recurring strife. Anarchy
would pose as an innocent pastime
among the grasping, self-seeking tur-
mol.
No. With unlimited tenures of Of
Fl &c and power, monarchies may profit
ably equip and run railroads; but a
democratic government, oft changing
at the changeable will Of a progressive
people, never.
Right In One, Right in All.
If then the railroads are to be built
by private companies, how far has the
government right to control them?
Government says | must reinqush
one-fourth of my iive-acre block, value
$1,000 an acre, for the use of the public
TO travel on, and obey. You buy all
the land around an inland lake. Gov
eminent says anybody may cross your
land to reach the lake TO fish, and you
acquiesce. The railroads have now be-
come the national highways. they
should be under the same supervision
as the navigab!e waters of the nation.
and IL the government has q right to
take MY land for highways, your
money for taxes, aud fix the rate of IN
come on money loaned, it has an equal
right to control the arteries of com.
merce; and 1t Is its duty 10 so adjust
the passenger and freight tariffs in the
interest OF the public as to reduce the
net dividends of every road to a low
rate OF interest on its unwatered stock.
1t be argued that the government
operated many of the roads during the
war, it may be answered tina. the mill
| tary necessity of the time knew 70 law
but martial law, and that there were
| a million able-bodied men in the field
sworn To do the bidding of that law and
liable TO be shot If they dlsobeyed the
law: under such absolute circumstances
the government operated the roads to
advantage, and could and would do SO
again II necessary: but may Heaven
Keep estu tuc hU8lOW Vi euSu D utSQ
| always out of sight IN the future.
Talked to tho subject.
The paper was then discussed by
those present and the most salient
points were noticed. The discussion
was opened by d. Z. Clay, who said tue
, government should control the rail-
roacs only in establishing a national
time table. Beyond that 1t would enter
| into politics and destroy the business
activity that would otherwise exist. 4
| man starting from Boston toward the
| West ought TO know the exact time he
| would reach his destination Railroads
I can better afford to carry passengers
| for two cents . mile today than for
| four cents twenty years ago and per-
| hays the Law should DO amended plsc-
| ing the passenger rate at two cents.
| Vice President Bosworth said the peo-
! pie ought TO have the same right TO
cross railroads as the railroads do TO
| cross public highways
u. Il. Clay said the people have =
remedy for crossing railroads by =
| legal couFse.
/ Mr.. Smith thought the fewer railroad
| crossings township can have the bet
| ter IL would be for the township. as q
| great deal OF danger would be avoided
4 ard expense wou 4 be iess.