The herald., 1894-12-10
A STATE RAILROAD.

Senator J. r. Mathews OF this county
has consented to bring the question Of O
state railroad before the legislature in
the form OF an amendment to the con-
stitution. This will obviate the objec-
ton recently urged that If such propo-
sition is presented to the Legislature al
this time for decisive action by direct
enactment it would be controlled by the
Southern Pacific Railroad company. The
people will frst vote on the amendment.
and then elect legislature to carry out
it's provisions. II. under these circum-
stances. playing for stake as important
as this will be, tho citzsns are false to
themselves. az they have been in the
past, they will have only themselves to
blame il they are delivered into the
hands of the Southern Pacific corpnra-
ton.
The amendment to be offered by Sem
ator Mathews will provide for building
trunk line from the Oregon border to
the Mexican boundary. 1t will fix the
amount OF bonds to be issued for the
construction Of the road and the rate
which those bonds will carry. as we'll as
the time they will run and the method
Of their redemption. Every advocate Of
government ownership of railroads will
approve of the measure, and only
those who oppose the issuance Of bonds
in any form or for any purpose will
offer objection. This objection may be
overcome, however. by argument show
ing that road to be built as proposed
in this instance will bs less burdensome
as a debt upon ths state than direct tax
alton and the exorbitant rates charged
by q monopoly or pool, or even the
less onerous tax imposed on individuals
by roads in competition.
The proposed amendment will also
provide for the bonding of counties for
building lateral lines wherever such may
bo deemed necessary or advisable, thus
making po1sible increased profit in the
operation Of the trunk line. by m cans of
an aggregated business contributed by
these "feeders." This is an impor tant
consideration and one that is never over
looked by railroad corporations, who
understand that without "fesdsr." or
branch lines trunk line cannot main /.
tain iteelf unless 1t operates through
denaely populated sections.
The proposed state railroad will Sc
cure an outlet over three competing rail.
roads in the north-the Northern Pacific,
the Great Northern and the Canadian
Pacific; and in the south over the Santa
Fs and the Southern Pacific. All of
these lines will be compelled to bid for
the traffic of the state road, which will
virtually dictate its own terms. opera
ting as it will on q basis of actual cost
and giving the shipper the benefit OF
rates on this basis. When the Central
Pacific becomes government property
transcontinental traffic will be assured
at minimum OF cost. defying every
competition of the established roads.
Every argument that can be urged on
behalf OF government ownership OF rail.
roads will hold as valid to the state rail-
road as proposed BY the Matthew'S
amendm One Of the best examples
Of such ownership is presented in the
practical results obtained in New
Zealand, where the railroads are abso-
lutely under control of the government.
The New Zealand Official Year Book,
for 1894, contains many important facts
upon which to base an estimate of the
advantages that would accrue from the
operation OF railroads under similar con-
ditions in this country.
Up to 1870 there were in operation 46
miles only of railway in New Zealand.
In that year, when the colony WAS feel-
ing the dishesrtening effects of the
native war then just ended, the colonial
treasurer, Sir Julius Vogel. promulgated
his public works policy, under which
some sl0000.000 were borrowed
from the British capitalists and ex-
pended in the encouragement OF immi-
grafton, the construction Of railways
and roads in all parts OF the colony. the
extension OF telegraphio communica-
tion, the supply OF water to the gold
fields and the purchase OF native lands.
In 1876 the abolition OF the provinces
plaked tho earlier constructed railways
in Che hands OF the general govern.
ment.
There are now open for traffic 194S
miles of railway, the constr uction OF
which has cost about G7770 1881, ,606. .80)
per mile. This includes the expendi.
lures on the provincial government
lines and the purchase money paid for
district railways built by local syndi-
catss and taken over by the government; /;
slsh the cost Of rolling stock and equip
mentH.
The large mileage OF railways in pro.
portion to the population, the location of
the latter along the coast mainly, the
active competition Of water carriage, the
very short distances over which traffic
can be carried, the importation by sea
OF the great proportion of mercantile
products which are used by the inhabi-
tants, the extension of the railways i'm
land to mountains and pastoral districts
almost devoid of settlement. together
form a combination OF circumstances
adverse to the railway system as proba-
bly, has no parallel in any other coun-
try. The imposition Of rates for CAR
riage has also to be largely guided by
the peculiar circumstances attending
the colonial settlement.
These 1913 miles of railway producad