Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-10-02
WILL COME TO US YET
THE GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP
OF RAILROADS.
Shall the United States Attempt It-An
Able Article from Writer in the
Philadelphia American-Sums Up the
situation.

Since the adjournment of the popu-
list convention, and the adoption
by that convention of plank favoring
the government ownership of railroads,
there has appeared in the monopolistic
press much unreasonable comment on
this score. We have seen those who
believe that the government should
own and operate our railroad systems
in the interest of the whole people,
called demagogues and robbers. We
have even seen those who advocate this
socialistic step, believing that in no
other way can unjust discrimination
between persons and places in the mat
ter of transportation rates be prevent
ed, held up to scorn as anarchists.
Those who so loudly, but withal so
ignorantly, deprecate the government
ownership of railroads, would do well
to fix their attention for few minutes
on the report of the committee of gov
eminent ownership, control and regu-
lation of railways, made to the national
convention of railroad commissioners,
held at the Office of the interstate COM
merce commission at Washington on
May 10 and 20 last. On this committee,
which was appointed by authority of
the convention held the year previous
ly, served Hon. A. X. Teisberg, of Min
nesota, Isaac B. Brown, of Pennsyl-
vania, S. o. Wilson, of North Carolina,
]. c. Allen, of Nebraska, and DIN Mer-
rill, of Vermont. Two reports were sub
mitted to the convention, a minority
report by Mr.. Wilson of North Caro-
lima taking decided grounds in favor
of government ownership and the re-
port of the majority, which was some
what tentative, the members of the
recognizing the evils of over
capitalization and arbitrary discrimin-
atoms in the matter Of rates, recogniz-
ing government ownership not only as
a feasible, but perhaps the only possible
and yet hesitating to advocate
such ownership.
But the fact that the majority of the
committee were evidently prejudiced
against government ownership gives
their report even more weight than 1t
would otherwise carry. Listen, in part,
what they had to say:
"That the government has the right
to acquire the railroads of this country
by purchase, at fair valuation, no one
will dispute.
ut is only a question of expediency
and policy. In a republican form of
government such as ours, it is not ex-
pedient nor good policy to invade or
appropriate fields of industry for the
simple gain there might be in it.
"Our government has assumed con-
troll over the waterways of the coun-
try for the benefit of all the people;
large sums of public money are annu-
ally expended to maintain the useful
ness of such waterways, in the inter-
est of commerce, but the government
does not build vessels to enter into
competition with its citizens in the
trade. If railroads could be
used in the same manner as are the
waterways, there could be no question,
perhaps, that the government would
have exercised the same control over
hem as it has over Waterways; but
rom the nature of railroad business
his Is not practicable. Hence, if the
government should assume the owner
ship of the railroads, it would neces
,arily also have to own and operate
he equipment; in other words, do the
whole railroad business.
"While it may be true that some of
,ur people desire government owner
ship of railroads for the money they |
believe there is in it, doubtless other |
ind better reasons influence the |
majority who are in favor of this |
scheme.
zone Of these better reasons is aptly |
expressed in the last annual report Of |
me of the members of this committee
MIR. Brown of Pennsylvania-as fol-
ows:-'Our people have little to COM
lain of from the common carriers, ex-
elt on the question of determinations
N this subject, If they would be true
O the interests of those they serve.
government ownership of railroads Is
most questionable scheme, in repub-
10 at least, and yet if determinations
re to continue, If favoritism Of such
haracter as to enrich some and ruin
'thers is to be practiced, the tran
iGon period of railways to government