The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-07-03
EDUCATION ON TIE hallway QUESTION

The people of the United States haye
OF late been undergoing very far reach
ing process OF education. 1t is perfectly
safe to say that, in the past decade, more
inquiries have been made by the masses
into the several theories OF political
government and into economic problems
than since the very foundation of our
government. OF course we restrict this
statement to the masses. because before,
after and sincs the evolution of the
American system OF government the
more highly educated portion of our
people have been notable for the bold
ness and originality OF their speculations
in all ranges of economic sub jects.
1t is safe to say that one Of the won
ders OF our complex system is that
which turns upon the fact that, while
the United States at its start took charge
OF the mails, made them a portion of
the federal government, and gave their
head supervisor a seat in the cabinet,
under the head of postmaster-general,
We have been 30 timid about including
in this department of federal activity
branches of the public business pre-
cisely analogous to the mails. We are
not pretending to assume that logical
and symmetrical argument could not be
made which would annihilate the poet
Office department, and commit the dis
patch OF letters, papers, etc., to private
enterprise. on the same theory which
regulates the several express deliveries
OF the United States. These latter grew
out OF the exigencies OF business to
which the slow and timid extensions OF
postal service did not respond. 1t was
this timidity and irres olution as to the
proper functions of the government
which allowed euch private corporations
as the Adams and Wells Fargo and other
expresses. and the several telegraph
companies, to grow up.
Whether it was originally wise for the
government OF the United States to
charge itself with the transportation and
OF the mails 10 O question
which will be determined vnriously by
persons of different opinions. However
that may be, we may be perfectly as.
sured that if, at the time the poetofnce
department was created, the telegraph
and express companies had been in ex-
istence they would also have been repre-
scented in the cabinet, either under
composite or different heads. In that
event we should not only have had a
postmaster. general but a secretary OF
telegraph and transportation as sn Off
cial adviser of the president.
There ie no ouestion of the fact that
more proselytes to a government con-
troll OF the railways and telegraphs of
the United States have been made in
the last four or FIVE days than in any
ten years of our history. No matter
what the merits OF the controversies be-
tween the railway protective association
and the men who employ them may
be, the fact Ia outlined in most uncom-
Portable but convincing silhouette that,
under the existing system. persons who
are in no wise parties to any stage of
thu disputation are liable to be ruined,
The business of seventy millions OF peo-
pie should not long be subjected to such
a strain; nor will it be allowed to be.
Government control of the rail ways by
no means involves tho ownership OF
these properties. Any one of them
which runs over the line of a state i'm
becomes subject to the laws OF
the United States. In addition, if it
should be thought expedient for the gov
ernnant to acquire many OF the leading
transcontinental roads by foreclosure or
purchase, it does not follow that it
is either desirable, iustitiable or nee
esssry that they should be held by
the government and run by it. The
subject is really highly interesting
from its complexity, and we are, in
this article, no more than limiting at
salient aspects OF the question.