Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-12-01


close of the war, but we would have a
dollars worth of property for every
dollars worth of debt. The property
would be productive, as it is now, and
pay its own debt, as it does now. The
security would be immensely greater
than now, having in addition to the
mortga aged property the good faith OF
the nation.
(b) AS to the earning capacity.
Freed from all dangers of traffic
wars, of cutting of rates, of the nec-
essity of maintaining expensive lob
bies, of large headhead list and a
large amount of litigation, the earn
ing capacity of the road would be
greatly increased if rates were to re-
main the same, and possibly, would be
greatly upon material reduction of
rates. Unproductive lines of roads,
now necessary as feeders" or for the
purpose Of occupying territory, would
be unnecessary when the government
owns all the lines. Less rolling stock
government owned all the roads, as
rolling stock could be sent from every
part OF the country where congestion
of business might be feared. Then.
again, by Capitalization of manu-
featuring establishments, such as car
shops, machine shops, etc., a great
saving could be effected. Fewer
agents to solicit business, sell tickets.
etc., would be needed. In scores of
ways expenses could be curtailed un-
der government ownership, thus en-
hancing the earning capacity.
Confidence in the integrity of the
management.
From the days when Alexander
Hamilton persuaded the Uuited States
to assume the entire debts of the sew
eral states incurred in the Revolution
airy war, bond purchasers throughout
the world have shown the greatest con-
tidence in the promises of the United
States to pay money. The integrity
OF the nation has never been question
ed. The people have never shown
themselves incompetent to manage any
business entrusted to them. Our post
office department stands a constant
proof of the ability of the people, the
nation to conduct large business sue
cessfully, economically. With govern
ment ownership of railroads the bond
holders would have nothing to fear
from the actions of the "bulls" and
bears" the stock manipulators and
railroad wreckers. We find, there
fore, that the bonds of the railroad
owned by the government would pos
sess in an increased degree all the ele-
ments which go to make bonds va1u-
able, and consequently, the same class
of people who now invest their money
in railroad bonds would gladly con-
tinue to do so.
Third.-"How would any honest la
boring man profit from the change?'
This is easy. If he should travel, he
would not be obliged to pay two prices
for seat in a common car in order
that another man might ride in the
Pullman free of charge. If he should
have any freighting to be done, he
would not be required to pay extra, or
on higher classification in order to
enable the railroad to pay a rebate to
his wealthy neighbor. If he should
uorl- for tho co,onaru I,a ,x,o,,Id tx-,-~..
that his wages would not be subject to
sudden and unreasonable reductions,
that he would not be obliged to con-
tribute to the support Of any labor or
ganization in order to protect his
rights, and that no strikers would
ever be permitted to drive him from
his government employ. He would
also feel a greater political freedom
than at present.
Fourth. -'How would the whole %
pie be better served by the walking
delegates who would expect to be in
control under the order of the Debses,
the Sovereigns, the A1tgelds, ct al,
than they are under the present con-
dition as regulated by law and under
the existing status of civilization?'
Why do you presume that the Debses,
the Sovereigns, the Altgelds, ct al,
would have the control? In advanc-
ing this argument You proclaim that
government by the people is failure
You presume that the American peo-
pie will elect a president who would
select for his cabinet officers and heads
of departments men unworthy of con-
fidence. If the Debses ct al, (assum-
ing with you that these are dangerous
peoplel should be in control of the
railroads under government owner
ship, they would also be in control of
the postoffices, the treasury, the in
terror, and all other branches of gov.
ernment.
This is the argument of the Tories
in the days of the American revolu.
ton, of monarchists of the days of the
French revolution, of the Stuarts and
Bourbons, and the advocates of the
divine right of kings. It Is not an ar.
gument that has any force in repub
lie and is quite unworthy so illustrious
an American paper as the Tribune.
1t is but fair to presume that in this
branch of government, as in all others