The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1894-10-11

gigantic system Of Iog:rolling would be
puiit up TO secure to each community
iss grab from the public treasury.
but even II we made up our minds to
Dear that In addition to our other
political ills, we should still be in the
/ greatest difficulty.
Ihe resources and credit Of the coun-
ny would be strained to the breaking
point TO acquire the new roads now
built.
Ia the past we have been adding to
our mileage from 1000 to II, 600 miles
OF new road each year. 1t is not prob
able that less than 1000 miles per
annum would satisfy the requirements
OF our people and our business for gen.
erations to come.
The most radical Populist does not
place the cost Of construction in q
prairie country, where it can be done
sne cheapest. at less than $50, 600 per
mile. Even ut that ridiculously low
19ure. the annual expenditure for new
seAstEsetion would be $3.50, 100000.
An sur experience shows that il this
vosk were done By the government, it
ven14 - Asns less economically and a
xeeseAeeas estimate would place the
80 - ncs less than $500, 900, 900 q
ysas..
- I'll The other expenses and diff
cuaeies incident to government control
hust be added this annual outlay. for
Which somS new source Of income must
II provided Fle
70 give NJ comparatively as large
nalsAgs - Great Britain would cost,
. eSe. 900 par mile. about SIC, 500, 00o.-
60 more.
No means BY which this money
should b raised has ever been sug-
eestOd. 1saf hf
Last. but not least among the objec-
lions TO stste ownership and control, is
the fact that II oouldpnot be realized in
the United States until we have entirely
reformed and readjusted our civil SER
vice system, without eminent danger
Of overthrowing the republic and de.
seroying the liberties of the people,.
n 4 esmmon habit of the Populists to
jenD - some great conclusion, ignoring
~ nAsst ebvioas ebstacles that must first
- ssmovsd.
We msn were really in earnest about
Introducing here the naturalization of
the railroads, his first step, if he were
rational creature, would be to build up
q system Of laws that should forever
divorce the control Of the civil service
from party politics. e
The countries where government con-
tfol prevails to any considerable extent
afe mostly monarchies. It offers no
objection, under such government,
that the army Of its employees should be
multiplied; that those in power should
b provided with q host of'willing and
devoted servants supported at the pub
ic expense.
In . country like ours, such system
would necessarily lead to party despot.
ism.
The railway employees in the United
States are said to number altogether, at
the present time, not far from one
million men.
We have seen that the effect of throw
ing into the political arena, to be strug-
gied for by hungry leaders, the one
hundred to one hundred and fifty
thousand Offices now in existence, has
been to encourage corruption, degrade
politics and debase the civil service.
No such system as ours could possibly
stand the addition of million new
places to be filed at the command of
party leaders.
No political party, once entrenched
behind such an army as this, whose
daily bread depended upon fidelity to
it, could ever be ousted by anything
short Of actual rebellion.
The existence Of free Republican gov
srnment, operating the railroads of the
nation. under the spells principle. is an
bnpessislity.
It 10 as reasonable to ask an advocate
e state ewnership to first provide
Oomplete ysform Of the civil service
end che benishment Of the spoils prin-
dpls from politics as it is to ask man
= Asst provide vessel, if he insists
thas yon aneompany him on voyage
aesoes Ne Atlantic.
Ne Aoubt there have been and still
sss many grave abuses connected with
the dissatisfaction Of the railroads in
NE Unitsd States. These abuses call
1or strict regulation and for remedy,
bot 4 d the most palpable absurdity to
psopees - means of getting rid of
Them the adoption Of system which
No nowhere been, as beneficial to the
psopls and which has been distanced in
tAs eompstition.
| Whether regarded as an investment
6 cApitA or - means of providing
cheap tSansportation for the people,
ssase ownership and operation of rail-
soads hes been demonstrated by the
concurrent experience Of the whole
vosld 70 b . failure.