The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-11-18

.i-i.n ,r.i st,~suIaf- the Individual
sT ,rss. II shcrT. this will give every
e,i,i io4l = fac and equal oppor-
.uni % - IL oa' his owe prosper
Ity r al - -~--"riiag 10 his merits
: d { q - I Is j en~ srd VIZ will
have the best COVER. III n ard the
n ~ pr sitruos ,s"vlt 30 world
uAs ever seer .-Eo. CAUCASIAN.
THE GREAT RAILROAD Pg BLEM.
Fifty four of The goy-rr meuts ct
The .arIh own sud op.r.'s their
sc N railroads. Il the L ottsd States |
the roads ira o~ned ard operated
hY corporations
Governor Lsrrabe. OF lows, alter |
are Rl r search, e'iima'. that the |
average cost OF construc II and
.aui,maut Of the rallroads Of this
country wa only from So 900 10 $50
900 per mile, w1eIeas they are bond
ID and stockt for more than dou-
ole that sum, and a constant { fl ,rt is
being made to compel the American
people to psy interest on this large
amount, over half CT which is water.
O:hsr authorities have estimated
that The people of this country nav
been compelled TO pay interest II. tn
rate of Is per cent. on the amount
which the railroads ard their equip
men's have actually cost, or are now
worth.
i. appeas that taere arc now
about huodred railroad presidents
with their s,affs IN this country that
are drawing b GA salaries, while the
leg.l * perses glowing out OF con
tests betw eu the roads themselves
run far up into The millions, 50 that
several of the ablest statisticans of
this country hold that if the railroads
were all consolidated AID run by the
government there would be SO many
| large items OF saving that 1t would
soon pay for the roads,
One Of the large items in the pres
ent xpecsts of railroad companies
is the corruption fund; that IS the
fund With which they bribe lpglsla-
tu-es, brlbe city councils, carry cleo
tions and otherwise d7bauch the pub
lie. Il appears ti,at the raj roads OF
this country must charge higher
rates than wcu'd bs necessary if they
were operated by the governm ant
and it is found that on the average
they are last about twice as high TO,
the masses Of the psople here as they
are in Europe.
| WHY He ONCE OFFERED Cow RSMEN1
| OWNERSHIP.
For years I was opposed to rail
road ownership by government.
felt that private enterprise could
manage them better than the publ
and, further, that the addition OF
such an army Of men to the patron
age Of the government would be Civ
ing p dangerous power to any t der
al administration. This last Office
| ton has been partially removed D,
the application Of the civil se'vic'
I law, I'd it is now setl4 sd that & sys
lem of railroad management coult
be established which would not in
terfere in politlcs-certainly not 81
much as the present system inter
feres in politics.
THE LESSON OF THE LAST CAMPAIGN
During tho last campaign million
e dollars were collected from tn
alroads with which to debauch tn
public and the employees of almos
, every railroad in this country wer
+ forced not only to march, but /
many eases 70 vote against their vii
/ But IN recent years the question G
r government ownership III this coul
D try has changed and now resen
e entirely new problems.
The fact which overshadows a
0 others is that of corruption. Wit
}. the concentration of capital hay
!. come the interest and the money
+ dsbauch and control government
j. Surrounding every legislature whet
r Ell city, State and national, there is
e corrupt lobby working for the corp
n rations AS d result, the people a
IS betrayed by their own represent
e tives.
It TIE public is made to pay eve
IS form Of tribute to these new master
n. and is helpless. During the last S
n months corruption has done more
O destroy republican government
d Illinois than hostile Amy cou
IN have done, and the money used f
G this purpose was wsung from 1
or people themselves. In almost eve
n city ard State capital, as we'll as
H. Washington, the conditions ara t
re same.
e. The question of putting an end
u this wholesale ruptioD, putting
IS. end to the selling OF legislation, pI
is ting an end to the control Of Cover
r. ment by corporations, is a que .ti
a. that will determine the existanee
ce this repu,le. Unless We can che
a. it there IS 20 hope for this COUNT
is The only way by when we can st
Fri this corruption at present Is to
C. move the temptation, and from pr
e- ent appearances the only way Il
n can be done is {, have the goveI
ID. ment take all these corporations a
es monopolies that are now destroyi
ISL it. Every eff,rt to enforce the cri
rs inal law against great offenders, /
so ended il d farce. Il is Nd lor geI
is question Of economy. it is not a gu
Sc tion Of policy, it is Il question OF
,a lsteGce.
"a WHICH SHALL PREVAIL.
n We are face to face with the On
Ell ton as TO whether the gov-rnmt
NJ has the right and the power of sc
es preservation.
TO- 1t is question that We must set
IL at once. 1t can not be lodged
m postponed. Csn there be any do.
IL about the side that every intellig.
o. American patriot will be found Oh
is. Imagine that 7 hear COMING f.
III the great laboring masses, ard fr
ed, the manufacturers. ana from
W, millions of ciiizaus. who Iowa RI