The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-04
GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS.
Senator PETER and Senator HaW-
ley Discuss Them.
Senator HawIey POintsOutWhat
Might Be Dangers.
Senator PETER DiIates on the Beauties
of Such a System

From Our Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON. May Am interesting
discussion regarding the question of
government ownership of railroads and
public utilities was provoked in the
senate the other day, in which Senator
PETER explained fully why he thought
the government should manage the
railroads. He also defended the Popu-
lists against the charge of being an
archists-
The discussion arose over the apprO-
priation for the bureau of printing and
engraving.
It appears in the Congressional Rec
ord.
bonds bank notes and postage stamps,
results have shown that the work has
been better and more satisfactorily
done. The query naturally arose then,
would it not be we'll for the govern
ment to conduct all agencies necessary
to carrying on its own business instead
of letting contracts to private persons
and cOrpOratiOnS2
Senator Sherman began by saying he
/ believed the government ought to man
/ ufacture its own stamps and control
their manufacture from beginning to
end Senator PETER approved of what
Mr.Sherman had said and declared fur
I Their:
Il believe that every department of
/ the government ought to do all of the
Z e
/ complish. 7 believe We ought to build
our own ships. I believe we ought to
! equip our own armies believe we
/ ought to do all we can do IN and OF our
/ selves"
/ This brought up Senator Hawley of
| Connecticut, who asked:
Including the construction OF rail-
Mr.. Peffer-"And to build railroads. 80
Mr.. Hawley-"That is what
ET- 5aes, ..C,e ,,o,,,.sa +1,a+ ,7isnosas
/ Of the senator's favorable view of what
I was going to say Yes. would build
our own roads. I would not go so far,
| however, 1 will say to the senator from
/ Connecticut, as to cOn1scate existing
roads. I would let the present man
! agement go along as best they can
/ That IS what they are doing now But
/ wherever and whenever a department
] of the government can perform its own
/ work it ought to do so. Is there any
reason why the government should 60
outside of it's own force to procure the
manufacture of postage stamps when
/ it can be done so well and 50 accurately
here close to headquarters %
Senator Hawley presented the side
/ opposed to government ownership, say
4 ing.
THE senator from Kansas said some
things which I wished to have him say
\ IN order to complete the reductiO ad
/ absurdum of his own argument. He
/ has said to US that the government
I ought to build all of the railroads in the
1 United States
Mr. Pefer-The senator from Con-
neeticut perhaps did not understand
me I did not say the government
/ ought to build all of the railroads in the
1 United States. The government ought
to build all the railroads that the gov
/ eminent needs"
Mr.. Hawley-''The government needs
/ every one over which the mail goes
! Mr.. Pemer-''Very we'll; let it build
/ them
Mr.. Hawley-''It needs one as much
/ as it needs the other
Mr.. Peffer-''Let it build them
Mr. wley-''There is a we'll defined
/ jealousy among the senator's friends of
/ the influence employers may exert, and
/ the government is the most wealthy
and the most influential employer Of
/ them all"
! Imagine the government Of the Uni
/ ted states with 175000 or $50, 600 miles
, Of railroad with nearly a. million Of