The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-03-06
OWNERSHIP OF RAILWAYS
The Social Science Club DiCuSSeS This
important Question.
Rev. F. M. Washburn Reads an Inter-
eres,ing Paper Upon the Subject.

At the Social Science club Tuesday
the topic was Government Owner
ship Of Railways-is it in this country
desirable?" Rev. f. M. Washburn
read an interesting paper reviewing
the growth of the railway system of
the country and advocated govern
ment ownership thereof, strongly set
ting forth his reasons therefor.
Before the reading of the paper the
consideration of an amendment to the
constitution of the club was taken up,
providing that the scope of the club
should be widened from social and
economic questions so as to include
| literary and historical subjects. After
some discussion the club voted the
amendment down.
The first half of Rev. Washburn's
paper was of historical nature, fol-
lowing the growth OF the railway sys-
tenn from it's earliest inception to the
present time, and noting it's import
ance to the public as means of COM
municaton. He also showed the re-
| lation which railroads and govern.
ments in different countries held to
each other not only in the matter of
building, but also in the matter OF
regulation and control after they are
! in operation He called attention to
the fact that since about 1870 there
has been in this country steady re-
duction of rates due partly to COM
petition, and partly to the progress
that has been made in reducing the
cost of transportation. This latter
has been brought about by the con-
sOlidation of lines, by the increase OF
locomotive power, by the increased
capacity of freight cars, by the i'm
provement of track, terminals, etc.
In 1875 the rate per passenger mile
was 2.14 cents;in 1891 it was 16cents.
For the same years the freight rate
per ton mile was LIZ cents, and IA
cents, being lower than in countries
abroad where the roads are owned and
operated by the government. The
legislative regulation of the railways
through legislation first commenced
in the early seventies. He dwelt at
some length upon comparison of the
railways and conditions of this coun-
try and Europe, but stated that the
conditions were so widely different
that comparisons were of little value
in determining results.
He then turned to the attitude
which has been assumed in this cOun-
try by the public toward the railways,
and said that about 1870 a hostility
had grown up in this country against
railways, and that it had since con-
tinued without losing any of it's force.
There had doubtless been cause for
much of this, and much of it had also
been without reason. He followed at
some length the history of the con-
test between the people and tine rail-
ways as to the matter of reasonable
rates, which had caused the latter to
go into politics in order to protect
what they deemed their rights. In
view of this long and bitter contest he
held that it would be better for the
government to own the roads, and so
take such power out Of politics.
! Government regulation as now car
r;o &c af CT Id
Orders as to rates, ETC., are given by
the state without consulting the rail-
ways, and without reference as to the
actual cost. There is no attempt at
arbitration, to get at what would be
right to both parties. In fact assaults
against railways are used by dema-
gogues in an attempt to curry favor
with the people. The result of this
contest between these two bodies has
been injurious to the people as well as
to the railways. The antagonism
which has existed between the people
and the railways, he held, had been at
the bottom of much of the trouble the
|
strikes, etc., all of which would be
avoided through government owner
ship. This, together with their in
fluence upon the politics of the coun-
try, and the fact that the roads are
the great arteries of our commercial
life, and should be managed for the
best interests of all the people, instead
of few persons, were the principal
reasons he put, forth for government
ownership. But before anything is
done toward such ownership, he held
that there must be thorough reform
of the civil service, so that the railway
service would be managed with as lit
tie reference to politics as is the army
and navy.
Mr.. Philip Helmer opened the dis
cussion, in short paper in which he
opposed government ownership, and
gave statistics from various countries
| TO show that this country thrOuph