The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-03-17
STATE RAILROADS.
The Social Science Club Discusses the
Question of Government Owner
ship of Our Railway System.

The Social Science CluD at It's meet
ing Tuesday discussed the ques-
tion of ''Government-Owne of
Railroads and Telegraph" and had
most interesting meeting. Gen. E.
M. Pope read an able and interesting
paper upon the subject, showing much
study and research upon that Ques-
ton. He opened his paper with a
series of quotations from court de-
cisionS relating to the matter show
ing that railways are regarded as SIM
ply public highways for the benefit of
the people, though they are operated
by private capital. He said that he
was open to conviction upon the sub
ject, but that for the purposes of the
evening he should place himself I'M
equivocally in favor of government
ownership of railways. He then gave
in clear and concise manner his rea-
sons why they should be so owned,
strengthening his position by cOpious
quotations from prominent railway
men describing the evils of this pre-
sent system. In brief some of the
reasons which he put forth in favor Of
practiced by roads between persons
and places, as regards rates; the mis-
management of roads, by which the
GOuld's, VanderbiltS' and Hunting
tons became enormously rich, at the
expense of the people; the large
amount of watered stock upon which
dividends must be earned and paid;
corruption which exists and spreads
over all portions Of the government,
being most prominent in the halls of
legislation; the influence which these
methods of handling the railway bus
mess have upon society, causing it to
drop to low plane of morality, this he
thought was probably the grayest
feature of the whole matter.
The discussion which followed the
paper was opened by w. B. Davies
and was of interesting and fruitful
nature. There did not seen to be
great diversity of opinion among the
members. as to the advantages of
government ownership, the general
opinion of the majority seeming to be
that it was the only real solution of
the problem. The questions which
arose upon this point were as to what
effect such ownership would have up
on the civil service, and upon the
continued safety of the travelling
public. 1t was argued that the rail-
way management of today was spur
red on to take the utmost care for the
safety of the travelling public because
of the fact that their pOcket-bOok
would be touched if they were not
and that to place the public in the
same position toward the federal
treasury would be dangerous innov-
alton, while if the government did
not guarantee the safety of passengers
and freight it would lead in time to
recklessness among employees. The
general opinion was, however, that
the latter fear would not be realized,
because if government ownership was
entered upon, system to secure the
greatert possible efficiency, similar to
that in vogue in the postoffice depart
ment, would be adopted. 1t was also
urged that all losses and damages
could be covered by a system of insur-
ance which could be secured at very
| low rates.
Various other interesting points,
such as the method the government
should pursue to secure possessions of
the roads, were brought up and more
or less discussed, revealing quite a
difference Of opinion among the
members All that was said in regard
to government ownership of railroads,
applied as well to government control
Of the telegraph. On the whole it
was most interesting and profitable
meeting.
| rrUUIc CnMJNG