People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-07-13
TO PREVENT STRIKES.
Judge Jas. A. Ray, Prominent Re-
publican of Sumner County,
BELIEVES IN GOVERNMENT CONTROL.

when the commerce Of the country is
paralyzed, the mails are Obstructed
and all business threatened with
destruction, on account of the great
railroad strike, and people are asking,
what is the trouble, is a very good
time for one to get the attention Of
the people turned to consider some
interesting questions.
The present trouble comes, as it
has often before come and will prob
ably again come, because the public
business Of the country, such as rail-
rOading, transportation, expressing
and telegraphingiS not in the'handS of
the public, the government. There
is no more reason for allowing private
persons to do public business, than
the public to do private business.
In other words, the government of
the United States must either own
the railroads and other resources Of
transportation, or, by legislation, so
control them as to be as effectnal as
ownership could be.
Now some one will claim that am
panderlng to the Omaha platform. l
beg to submit the following extract
from a speech which | delivered at
Oxford July 1, 1885, and witch was
published in the Sumner County
Press:
There are two relics Of states sovereignty
now remaining in the constitution. The first
OF these is the method Of choosing a presi-
dent through the operation Of the electoral
college which makes the states perform the
act that should be performed by the citizens
OF the United States. The second relic is.
the present method Of electing United
States senators by the legislature Of the
states and upon the idea Of states sOvreignty
the smallest state having the same repre.
sentation as the largest. In my opinion
these twin relics Of states rights should BIZ
abolished and the election Of both our presi.
dent and United States senators should be
by the people whom. believe to be as capa.
bic OF choosing their president and senators
as body of legislators or college Of elec.
tors"
"ln conclusion, let me leave the thought
with you, that our constitution should bC
broad enough to give congress power to eX,
tend its influence to the individuals of tn,
states. 1t should regulate commerce by
either building railroads and canals. or BY
prescribing the rates of charges, or so regula
ting them as TO amount TO the same. L
should provide postal telegraph; should 9!
the qualifications Of citizenship, and protec
all In the exercise Of the right Of suffrage
should provide national system Of educa
tion, and legislate upon all questions tha
are necessarily, from their character gen
eral and abstain from all legislation that 4
necessarily OF q local character"
1t cannot be said that l am a con
vert to the POpulist idea, since thi
speech was made long before the or
ganizatiOn of either the Alliance OI
the Peoples party. II the Peoples
party and | agree upon this question
it has come TO me and l am glad O
it and wish all other parties would d.
: likewise.
II the railroads we're in the hand
Of the United States government
there would no cause for strikes 70
Uncle Sam pays promptly and gooC
wages. The railroad employees In tn,
United States are overworked AM
underpaid, while the earnings AM
steallngs Of the roads 60 to pay re
ceivers, attorneys, solicitors and pres
idents from twenty-five to fifty thous
and dollars per annum. In Englan,
four times as many men are employe,
| to the miles Of road as are employel
: here and the accidents are abou
seven in the United States to one i
: England. The people ought to TAX
e charge of their own business and sto
the wholesale robbery and injustic
which is being done by the railroad
: and other corporations. Wheat cal
be transported to Chicago from her
at profit for ten cents per bushe
). but the railroads charge twice tina
= sum.
Our coal dealers pay $500 pt
S ton to get coal from Canon City, Col
here and $3.50 per ton for the coal {
s6.lO per ton. The coal is taken fror
e the mines which belong to the raj
G roads and costs the company abou
$3.50 per ton.
g Let us figure a little on the profit
= to railroads:
Five men will bring l6 cars of
= J tons each, which makes 2SS ton. Fl
this the dealers pay s1,756. Frol
E this deduct expenses as follows:
r. Wages Of crew both ways. IS 1854
Interest on cost Of cars at. -.
n S25 each for 4Shours at. -.
= 10 per cent. nt........,., 39.l
Oil for repairs. s................ q
!. Coal for engine 76 tons vt sl.5O ia,
Cost Of train Of coal to Co.,. s32.l
IS Total expense to Company 722I
of Profit to Company. ........... l033.I
e. No allowance for cost Of buildil
$. the road is made, as the people gene
ally rive bonds in sufficient sum