Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-07

Socialists Coming to Washington to
Lay Their Plans Before Congress.

Socialists Coming to Washinxtou to
Lay Their Plans Before Congress.
Since the close Of the silver convention
at Chicago Mr.. George F. washburn Of
Boston. Mass, chairman OF the eastern
division Of the national committee Of the
peoples party. and Col. A. c. Fisk of Den
yer, Col, president Of the Pan-American
Bimetallic Association. together with other
prominent populists of the west. have been
in daily consultation with leading govern
ment officials, bankers. capitalists and rail-
road men Of the west devising a gigantic
railroad scheme Of government ownership,
which they think will afford financial re-
lief to the country. and to make at once
an issue Of the two present planks Of their
platform.
The plan proposed is that the national
government shall issue bonds for legal and
just railroad indebtedness The amount is
estimated to be about two-thirds of the
value Of the railroads and an issuance Of
legal tender treasury notes or silver GER
tifeates for the remaining one-third.
Objection was raised to the populists'
plan to pay one-third in treasury notes.
which would greatly increase the price Of
In ,t the country but it Claimed
third should be Issued that IS, 100000 Of peo-
pie could better absorb 1000, 900 Of treas
in 1857. and that this issuance OF treasury
notes would give immediate financial re-
LIEF and tnaugurate q period Of prosperity
unparalleled In the history of the world,
but the populists do not propose that the
government shall buy all the railroads at
once; but SO gradually that no shock would
with the western roads. they would be
taken in the order of their application,
some being ready now.
The populists say that while their party
Is opposed to any new Issuance Of national
bonds no objection could be offered to the
even exchange Of bonds which already ex-
MINDS ha l,,o III,
paid; and in a few years the government
would own the railroads. 1t is claimed
ing railroad interests and that. il the gov
eminent owned all the railroads west of
the Mississippi river. instead of being COM
pstitive to the eastern roads, they would
be distributive and could be used by the
government to move crops to the mar
kets at cost: and in this way develop the
and thereby stimulate trade.
Also that uninhabited sections could be
colonized. the low fares being an induce
iieve the cities from their present congested
state and provide an additional market
Tor the manufactured products for the peo-
commission only would be needed in each
state the saving in high salaries would be
enormous
1t is claimed that the bondholders like
the Idea because they would receive ma
tional bonds in even exchange for fuctu-
and would save the stockholders from loss.
The bankers. it is claimed, take kindly
to the scheme because it solves the prob
lem of how to get more bonds The en-
ployes would advocate the plan because
they would have tenure and stability of
employment, and through election and civil
service laws be able to protect themselves
against injustice by superior officers, as
well as against removal
IT Is further alleged that merchants and
shippers favor the plan because there
would be no discrimination in transpo--
| tation rates in favor of trusts and svndi-
Gates, and that 1t would reduce the aggre-
gate Of fixed charges fully one-third.
The farmers favor 1t because they would
get freight rates which would not be all
the traffic would bear" and thereby alb
sorb all their profits.
Mr.. Washburn will leave for Washington
today to have the matter presented to Con-
gress and to secure the support of west
ern and southern Congressman.