The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-11-28
s.aat SENATOR Jones Iilais q 81 s., =. Il
JUS ln,port.tla y
&. s. Question
70 De OPERATED BY The 1EoltE.
Men Who Own the Railroads know
Little Of Their Manages
ment. Il. s 81

to insist on the government assuming
control OF the railroads of the country 81
(. am myself heartily In favor Of 1t on gem
eral principles, but I do not approve sof
the plans thus far, presented for bringing
4 1t about. Neither do I regard as wise
| the proposition TO have the roads operated
by the government as that would be to
place in the hands of few men a danger
| GUS political power; that would be Al
menace to the public" ,ssi..:
I "How would you: have the roads oper-
ated, If not by the government? was
! asked. ~ 81.
by the people, replied Senator Jones.
! My plans, which / worked out when the
agitation for government ownership Of
/ the railroads was first advocated, is TO
| have the government acquire the, roads
by purchase and foreclosure Of the mort
cages and Indebtedness over DUE and
throw them over to the public as in the
case Of toll roads.
I'm the early days out West, when d
! toll road was built through section Of
| mountains, the transporter Of freight or
passengers with his own vehicles, could
pass over the road by the payment of q
1 propose for freight and passenger traffic
on the railroads after the lines are acquir-
ed by the government.
1.-THE tolls continued the senator,
| SHOULD be fixed also low rate as to pros
! duce just enough revenue for the expense
! beds, tracks, stations, and other property
pertaining to the roads, in perfect state
of repair and efficiency. OF course there
should be a sufficient surplus over operat-
! ing expenses to maintain fund for new
| bridges or stations on roads already built,
and some provision might also be made
| for the construction of new lines
"T1e railroad system of the entire cOun-
/ try should be cut up into zones and dtvis.
| ions. The best qualified men should be
! employed by the government as managers
and superintendent, at fixed salaries,
and their tenure should be during good
behavior. Promotion Should be made In
| the order Of merit, and achievement only,
and there should be special rewards In the
way of promotions for those who have
| force required to keep the roads in order,
to collect the tolls and to dispatch the
trains, would be comparatively small, as
| the greatest demand for. men Is, In the
| train service, for engineers, ttremen,
brakemen. conductors, etc, and these men
would not be in the government service at
all.
'aThe train service under this system,
whether for passengers or freight, would
be entirely in the hands of the people
| Thus first-cfass engineer, a conductor
and brakeman would be at liberty to run
! train of their own over any line in the
country. under the conditions laid down
by the government. All they would have
! to do would be to arrange, for running
I time with the proper authorities, and pay
| the tolls fixed by law. a, (:
l"rhe project opens up boundless posi-
bilities that are absolutely bewildering to
man with grain of imagination, or ca.
pacity for seeing beyond the horizon OF
| established custom. AS no request to run
a train for lawful purposes could be de-
MED, the farmers of a given locality, who,
are now shut out of the markets by high
| freight rates, could hire or buy q few cars
| and an engine, and go themselves with
their cattle or grain to the BEST Market.
! The manufacturer could do the same
| thing, while the pleasure seeker might
visit every section of the. continent, with
every luxury, for what 1t now costs him
| to go from New York to San Francisco.
"But would not the people who now own
and control the cars and locomotives, mo
| nopolize the traffic as at present z" Il \,
s'There would be no danger Of that,
| fret, because the skilled men would not
run trains for others when they had the
opportunity to conduct a more profitable
business for themselves; and second, be-
cause the great organic change affected
| and passengers would not appeal to those
| now in control, as the present system
| does, There would be absolutely free
competition. e..vsa.: ~ fsS
sWhen you come to think of it. what is
really known by the men who own. the
/
many thousands of miles of railroad
which they nominally control? What
| can they know of the time schedules, the
dispatching and running of trains, the
collection Of freight and its delivery at
various destinations?
1 "All these departments are under the
| direct supervision of employees, who do
the actual work of carrying on the :busi-
ness of the roads. WI
"If my plan is adopted, the common
carriers of this country will be the men
/ who actually do the work. and who would
/ take personal pride in making all classes
! of Transportation as safe, as expeditions
as cheap and as comfortable as possible
''It would be the duty Of the government
| to maintain the integrity of the various
| roadbeds and bridges, regardless of the
! profits. paid by any line; as there would
| be free and open competition, Legislation
| would not be necessary to induce the
adoption Of decent and safe systems Of
! lighting, heating and brakes on trains;
| and there would be an end to the; work
ing Of men beyond their endurance:
Il believe, further, that free compe tition
would bring about the introduction Of
sleeping cars on all night trains, SO, that
passengers would no longer be: obliged to
| sit or recline in cramped positions when
| they ought to be resting as comfortably
as if they were at home: Yo .,1 see, the
! various carriers would vie with one an
4 other iii giving the best possible. accom-
modations, day and night, to all the pa
irons, and those who would not give sleep
| ing accommodations without extra charge
could not secure night passengers. e
dining cars would be conducted Also
1 in such manner as to enable people Of
moderate means to have their meals at
accustomed hours, without being obliged
/ to pay prices that only the rich can afford,
and many other advantages will be Sc
cured by. the patrons Of railroads from
I, which they are now debarred. 4 s4t.5s +!
1 Mr.. Jones feels sure that by the plans
he has matured for the purchase Of the
roads no injustice will be done to those
l now holding stock In the lines, since It
compartments due compensation to all.
More than that, he believes it will insure
i returns to many who have invested in
i roads, which are now unprofit table, and
likely under present conditions to be
/ operated at loss. He admits that what
are commonly known as "watered stock
I interests" may suffer some loss. Duh
Canada VIII Fight. .5 5$4
!. New York, Nov. ~. "A sun special
/ from Montreal says: The military prepa-.