The oasis., 1894-09-20

that number as maximum, with an average of nine times the number of people to support mile of railroad under government ownership that we have here, would it be strange if we made greater charge for the carry ing of either freight or passengers than they? If the statements of the Altru- rian were true, as to lesser charge for like service there than here, would any honest or far-minded man concur in the reason it gives for it, that gov ernment owned railroads are 'operat- ed in the interest of the people" and ours in disregard of the people?
 In utter disregard for facts and con- ditions affecting the relative cost of railroad service, this oracle of calamity tells us that one can "ridt six miles for cent in Hungary, and in Germany you can ride four miles for one cent on government owned railroads And thai Belgium tells the same story fares and freight down one-half and wages doublcd' The fact that even less rates than these. with accommo- dations as much superior as palace is to q hoyel, are afforded on the cOrpo- rate owned and managed railroads of the United States is studiously ignored Where conditions of tributary DOpula- ti0n are equal, passenger fares are as low in our country as anywhere on the face of the globe. In New York com mutation tickets are madeg good for one or all of a whole family, for fixed peri 0ds of time, without limits as to dis tance or number of times it may be used If the holder of one of these tickets could afford the time he conld ride a hundred miles for q cent on the corporation owned and managed rail- roads of the United States. 1 think it true, that in the vicinity of all our great cities, relative accommodations being considered, cheaper fares are af- forded the rural population than on any of the government owned rail- roads of foreign countries.
 Belgium, one of the favored coun- tries referred to, constructed about one-half of it's present railroad mile age before private capital could be tempted to invest in them. Corpora tions then took up the work on less logical lines than those already occu- pied Competition soon mastered cor porate greed in reduction of rates, and the government roads being con- pelled to meet the corporate, competi- tive lines ceased to be source Of re- venue to the crown and rapidly grew to the point of financial burden. To protect itself against competition and ruin at the hands of cheaper built, better managed corporate roads, law was enacted forbidding competition and compelling the private roads to accept and adhere to the rates fixed by the government for it's own lines. This is how it came to pass, if true as the Altrurian asserts, that the Bel gium "roads pay yearly revenue to the government of s4,00,0O0."
 It only remains for me to state final and conclusive fact, to expose to view the reckless, unpatriotic purpose to breed popular discontent and un- rest in our government by deliberate resort to deception and falsehood The average cost of freight transpor- tation on the government owned and operated railroads of the world is r mills per ton per mile. In England | and Sweden, where allroads are owned | and operated by private corporations, like ours, the average rate per ton per mills Is IL mills. In the United States