Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-08-15
HUTCHINSON, KANSAS, THURSDAY NOON, AUG. 15 1896 ];

world the state owns and operates the
railroads, but chiefly on a prevailing
dissatisfaction, through large part of
this country, with the results Of priv
ate ownership here.
tits admitted on all hands that rail-
roads are not purely private enter
prlses The companies which own
them have received valuable privil-
eyes from the public-the right tn buy
land whether the owner did or did not
wish 10 sell the right to cross highways
and certain monopoly of the public
travel. States, counties and cities
have burdened themselves with the
debt in order to provide themselves
with railroad communications
In the world at large, government
ownership OF railroads is the rule and
private ownership the exception
Great Britain, the United States,
Spain, Switzerland are practically the
only countries where railroads are not
owned and operated by the govern
ment.
Great Britain differs from its own
colonies in this regard, Tor in nearly
all of the British dependencies the
government own the railways
But in no cOuntry-nOt even in Eng
land and the United States where the
railroads are freest from public con-
trolls the priciple fully admitted that
the government may decide what is
for the interest of the public, and may
require the railroad corporations to
conform thereto.
Since, then, government may, must
and does assume some control of the
railways, the only question left is, how
much control? When our legislators
come to answer this question, tley are
confronted with the fact that they
cannot, If they would, do what the
lawmakers of France or Germany do.
IL is agreed that only confusion
would result to our home cor merce
from the ownership of the railroads by
the sepefate states. Has congress
power 10 buy them up? If it has the
power could the government safely as
sumo tho cost Of purchasing them?
They were capitalized. at the latest
estimate, as over ten billions OF dol
lars.
it is urged by the advocates, of priv
ate ownership that this system not
only is the sole system that is adapted
to our political and social principles,
which leave individual enterprises as
free as possible from government con-
itrol, but that it has, both in the
United States and England, resulted
in a more coyenient, ample, cheap and
expeditions service OF the public than
is usual in countries where railroads
are owned or operated by the state.
They nTge thai those VINO have to
compete for the business Of the people
will, from self interest, do all they
can to serve the people well; and they
MAINTAIN that pooling arrangements
and trusts which might neutrali2s this
competition are already prevented by
legislation, even to the extent Of max
ing their business Improbable. They
also urge the great political danger of
adding the vast army of railway en-
plOyes. who numbered eight hundred
and seventy three thousand in 1893, to
the civil service of tina government.
Any general separation into distinct
castles, such rs is seen in some parts of
the Southwest, would certainly be an
unfortunate and dangerous state of
affairs, against which all proper in
fuence should be brought to bear.