The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-07-17

tuc lullUWIHE'
No subject will bo Of moro general in
tcrest and importance TO political parties
in the near future than tho policy Of
tho federal government with respect to
railroads and their employees. Opinion
seems to be divided whether the twen-
tisth century will witness government
ownership Of railroads in tho United
States as they arc owned in France.
Germany and Russia at present, or
whether tho railroads will continue as
corporations, growing bigger cvery year,
operating thoIr own sys.omS. but
directly controlled by national COM
rnisaIon whose functions 1t will be to
avert utrikos, as we'll as 10 prevent dis
elimination In rites 10 the public.
Perhaps no railroad manager 10 bet
tor QualidGd both In brain aud oXperl.
once 10 discuss these problems than
Coils Potter Huntington. Of the
Southern Pacific, tho corporation
against which the bitterest ieAling was
manifested last week. hlr. Huntington
nodded and maturod tho scheme for the
first transcontineutal railroad, planned
and perfected the California system OK
tending over 5000 miles Of steel track,
built o system reaching from Sau Fran.
cisco to Newport News and developed
an aggregate Of 1900 miles Of water
lines, Including the route to China and
Japan. He Is worth $50, 100000 TO S4O,-
100000; was the owner Of the old Star
(newspaper) In New York and OF pres
emit one Of tho two largest stockholders
in another morning newspaper In New
York. Mr.. Huntington hast command
ing presence, Ia tall and heavy built, al.
ways takes things coolly and in long
run manages to como out on top.
Tho Pres correspondent fret asked
him about government ownership oil
railroads and Mr.. Huntington said:
81 would like TO sell out TO tho gov.
ernluent, 80 far as am concerned In.
dividually, oil the roads In which an
in any way interested.
ayes, | would DO glad to cell ous," ho
added reacCtively. "But as policy,
there could not be q worse ono than for
the government to control and own the
railroads Of the country. There would
be nearly million employees added 70
Uncle Sans pay list, and there would
DO change in the majority Of them
every time there was change In the
administration.
'But what about civil aervIco rcgulu.
Lions?"
"CiSil service rules would not help
the matter much. We hayo that kind
OF a law in operation now, and yot
there aro frequent changes In the sew
pral departments oil the government
"Then you don't look for RoVernmen.
tai control OF railroads within the next
decado%
Sam will do business at the old stand
for good whilo ye., and the govern
ment will run on US II has boon going
for tho last century. Either Mr.. Glove
land or Mr.. Dobs will direct tho affairs
OF our country hereafter, but think 1t
will be the President.
"Do you think that any moro laws
are necessary to prevent recurrence Of
these strikeSW
"There arc plenty OF laws to protect
Iife and property oil over this country,
both national aud state" replied Mr..
Huntington. "All that ia necessary is
10 enforce these laws and with public
opinion behind them. This was easily
done last wock."
Cannot scatrlkcs be prevented In
the tutura2"
"Ycs: when capital and labor como
to n better understanding bntwoen
themselves. Capital seems to be mis-
understood at present, BUTT was soin
TIE davs of old Rome and 1t has boon
go in all times. Capital Ia no moro In
dopcndcnt than labor, and in Ordor to
hayo tho best and highest results both
must work together. It !s absurd, Tor
example, to rail at tho man who rides
in q brewster carriage, for that repre-
sents 200 days OF labor.
paid over half million for q
stcamship recently, which rep.
rnsentod something like 100000 days OF
labor. The iron had To DO brought out
of tho mine, tho coal out Of its native
bed, the timber cut In the iorest-tne
hand OF man had to touch oil these IN
order to have the completed ship. why,
Mr.. Yandcrbilts house In New YORK
CITY, the ono he Ia building opposite
lnino on Fifth avenuo. must represent
somothing like 100000 days labor II
YOU 10 back and truce tho raw mater;
Ials through tho var ous processes until
they reach tho finished state as soon IN
tho magnificent residence. Whenever
there h no capital to employ labor then
vol, are at the beginning Of tho eud oil
civilization.
"Tho government must protect prop:
erty and not tax thrift. 1t must not
tax proyidcnt living, but lot evory man
have all tho money no honestly &c
CURES, Lot mo repeat it-capital aud
labor must Got together, and then We
shall have tue best ,posslOIS t'Ines u"'
der our present civilization,
ali tho government owned tho TGil'
roads. how would tho travelling pu3itS
aud tho employees wages DO anectodD
''Uniuvorably. Competition hotweon
American railways has reduced mo
freight rates below those charged by
the government railways IN Franco anu
Germany. Our excursion and conf
mutation passenger rntOs In this c0In'
Try arc tho cheapest per milo in tho
world"
"And wages2"
"Whep tho government owns tho
railways all wages will BIO reduced Tor
all kinds Of railway work. Tho railway
mail cIcrk Is now paid SGj to SO per
month by tho government; tho railroad
pays employees requiring less skill and
working shorter hours IRON $79 to slO0
month, A government engineer
would cot about 50 per day; locomo'
tive engineer receives 81"