Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-02-19

thus made. mat is Wnere Uney moho
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 OPP
crate them. 1t might operate them I'M
til it had an opportunity to resell them
or lease them, or 1t might decide to
operate them permanently. That Is no
new thing, except in this country. IL
is done in Germany, in Australia, IN
New Zealand, in Austro-Hungary, ana
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? l admit
that we have less public honesty. But
we have as great a genius for ADMIN
istration as any people in the world'
and all that we need is vitalized pup
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 UNIFORM
system with one controlling head!
"That is a large question, a very
large question. l have for long tilhe
felt very strongly that the only So
luton of the railroad problem Is gov
eminent ownership. The railroads are
being merged into great systems, anu
these are being linked together in great
com binations-pools, trusts or what you
| will. The name makes no alHerence'
| The purpose is, under one manage
ment. to keep down competition and 10
| keep up rates, without reference 10 the
cost of the service, and to wiring from
the people the uttermost farthing'
Eight great railroads went into trust
of that character about year ago, WIN
the pretended object Of supporting inc
interstate commerce law by preserving
uniformity of rates. Now, uniformity
and stability of rates is good tnlhe
in itself: it is something to be desired
in the interest of all legitimate Dusi-
ness. 1t enables business to De COD
Quoted with certainty that Is lmpos.
sible with daily fluctuations in rates Vi
freight. But the real object OF thls
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 AMI under the
interstate commerce Law. Their op-
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 a trust, ana that
trust is the government OF the onlteu
States. Whether our government
strong enough to do it, I am not pre-
pared to say. Put the attempt Is gu
ing TO be made You will see 1t made
The question is knocking at the door
and will be brought out, and you young
men will have to fight it out"
"Do YOU think that as long as the
Government remains in the hands OF the
Republican party we are likely to have
government ownership of railroads.!
"The idea is not confined to am one
party. 1t permeates them all, ana AZ Is
working like leaven. Some Oh tne
strongest advocates of that experiment
are now found in the Republican party,
That party, it is true, is business
mans party, capitalists party, cor
poration party, if you will; more so. al
least than the Democratic party. But
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 1t VIII
be best for the railroads as well as the
people. The chief danger is that II we
load upon the government so many I'M
dertakings it is apt to get top-heavy.
Those in power have such great oppor-
tunities to steal in one way or another,
that the scattered and segregated peo-
ple have not the means OF safeguard
ing themselves from this danger. we
do not know what the result would be
of adding to our present civil service
of about 100 900 men, the vast army OF
railroad employees, numbering, be-
lieye. something like 100000"
"You think, then, the government
will eventually own the railroads.
at has got to be tried. 1t is some
thing that is coming with state social
ism, a thing that is advancing in all
countries. The government, not only
this government, but the government
of every civilized people, is taking upon
itself new offices and doing things
which were formerly left to individual
enterprise. Illustrations of the fact
will occur to every observing mind"
"If, then, the government should buy
in and retain these roads, you think 1t
would be a good thing for 1t to try
the experiment Of government opera
ton"
81 would be glad to see the govern
ment try the experiment of owning and
operating a great railroad system.
do not know whether the experiment
| .AS,,Ia ha cuonoccfuI or pot hut 7 uopt