The Louisiana populist., 1897-04-02

Grating them. They get franchises
bond the road for several times what
it will cost to build it, build it them
selves by organizing into a construc-
tion company, paying the construction
figures that are quoted. But his for
tune was not made by operating roads.
He is one of those men who made
money by building roads, not by op- |
company double or treble what it is |
worth to build it, and pocket the profit
thus made. That is where they make
their money"
In case of sale, ii the government
had to take the road for the debt
what, in your opinion, would be the
result?"
THE gvernment might have to buy
in the roads to protect itself, no doubt,
and probably it would continue to op-
crate them. 1t might operate them un-
til it had an opportunity to resell them
or lease them, or it might decide to
operate them permanently. That is no
new thing, except in this country 1t
is done in Germany, in Australia, IN
New Zealand in Austro-Hunsary, and
it was done in Russia. What other
peoples can do we can do. Are we
less honest and less efficient in admin
istration than the Germans? | admit
that we have less public honesty. But
we have as great a genius for admin
stration as any people in the world,
and all that we need is a vitalized pub
lie opinion to create public honesty.
Don't you think that this country
would be better off if all the railroads
were in the possession Of the govern
ment and working under d uniform
system with one controlling head?
"That is q large question, very
large question. have for long time
felt very strongly that the only So
luton of the railroad problem is gov
ernment ownership. The railroads are
being merged into great systems, and
these are being linked together in great
combinations-pools, trusts or 'Vnat you
will The name makes no difference.
The purpose is, under one manage
ment, to keep down competition and to
keep Up rates, without reference TO the
cost of the service, and to wiring from
the people the uttermost farthlns
Eight great railroads went into trust
of that character about year ago, with
the pretended object Of supporting the
interstate commerce law by preserving
uniformity of rates. Now, uniformity
and stability of rates Is q good thlng
in itself; it is something to be desired
in the interest of all legitimate busi-
ness. 1t, enables business to be con-
Quoted with a certainty that is impos-
sibte with daily fluctuations in rates OF
freight. But the real object OF this
combination was not to MAINTAIN sta
BILE rates, but the highest rates posi-
Bile under the laws of the various states
in which they operate and under the
interstate commerce law. Their OBJ
ject, in short, was to suppress compe-
tition in an unlawful way. Now, there
is only one kind OF a trust that can
meet that kind OF trust, and tha'
trust is the government OF the onlteo
States. Whether our government Is
strong enough to do it, l am not pre-
pared to say. But the attempt is go
ing to be made. You will see it made
The question is knocking at the dool
and will be brought out, and you young
men will have to fight it out"
"Do you think that as long as thu
government remains in the hands OF th'
Republican party we are likely to have
government ownership OF railroads"
1.-The idea is not confined to any ont
party. 1t permeates them all, and 1t Il
working like leaven. Some of thu
strongest advocates of that experiment
are now found in the Republican party
That party, it is true, is business
mans party, a capitalists party, cor
poration party, if you will; more so, a
least than the Democratic party. Blu
, these ideas are growing in the minds
of men of all parties and Of all classes
Some of the more far-sighted railroad
managers themselves foresee the event
and some of them have been courageous
, enough to avow their belief that it will
be best for the railroads as we'll as tn
people. The chief danger is that il W
load upon the government SO many un
;, dertakings it is apt to get top-heavy
Those in power have cuch great oppor
tunities to steal in one way or another
that the scattered and segregated peo
: pie have not the means Of safeguard
3 ing themselves from this danger. w
do not know what the result would b
of adding to our present civil servic
! of about 100, ,000 men, the vast army Q
E railroad employees, numbering, l be
, lieve, something like 100000"
"You think, then, the government
will eventually own the railroads."
9 ut has got to be tried. 1t is some
9 thing that is coming with state social
ism, thing that is advancing in al
/ countries. The government, not onl
/ this government. but the governmer
: of every civilized people, is taking upo