Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-12-17

than Of inclination. You see, III the earlier
days, it was essential that we should construct
railroads to open up the country by securing
settlement. Private companies were not pre-
pared to run the risk except under the guaranty
of the state, and it was found that the only safe
and certain course was for the community to
construct railways themselves. Of course, we
were not III position in those days to raise the
necessary capital except in the form of loans,
and upon these VIC were compelled to pay very
high interest because the investor had not .he1i
the faith in the colonies he has to-day"
81 suppose there would be no difficulty to-
day in getting private companies to either take
over the existing railways or to construct new
ones, if the government would agree?'
'No; l do not think there would be the
slightest"
"But how would the Victorians view such
step?'
81 scarcely like to contemplate" ," replied our
visitor with strange and fedrsome smile. ~
am quite sure, howeve., th"t the life of the
government who seriously suggested it would
not be worth many days purchase.
"Do they regard the state ownership of iail-
ways as more beneficial than private owner
ship, then?'
"Unquestion; bly, they do, and they would as
soon think of handing over the postal arrange
ments to private parties as the railways. They
take the view, and rightly, too, | think, that
The public is not likely to get the maximum of
good treatment from railway companies where
the primary object is to provide the shareholder
with dividend. The true policy, in our opin-
ion, is not to use the railways primarily as rev.
enue-earnng machines, but, after getting ac-
counts to balance, to cheaper rates and to i'm
prove facilities. In fac, we look upon our
railroads as highways, the great object of which
is to open up and fully develop the country
through which they run "
But, have you not been velely criticised
for pursuing that policy to the point of con-
railways in districts and through coun-
tries where there was not reasonable likei-
hood of their recouping the cost of construc-
ton?'
eyes, that is SO; but good deal of it has
been uninformed and, therefore, not of great
value. There is no doubt however, that up to
the time when we altered our system as TO con-
struction and management, and when the con-
troll was not so rigid it ought to have Eeen,
or as 1t is at present, there were some lues con-
structed much too prematurely, from the point
of view of recoupnent. But such extrava-
gance, if you like to call it so, was not an in
trinsic part of a policy so much as a passing
accident the experimental stages of new
and great undertaking."
"Have not the critics talked about political
corruption in connection with your railways ~
eyes, they have, but the phrase is an entire
msnomer, and has really been wildly thrown
at the colonies without any genuine regard
for the actual facts. The only suggestion of
evidence has been this overconstruction and the
alleged employment of an excessive staff of
men. Now, with this overconstrucion dealt
in the last reply. But let me add one word.
While admit that there has been here and there
cases of premature construction, the best jusi-
6caton of the general policy of treating the
RAILROADS as highways is to be found in the flct
of our rapid internal development, in the fact
that our railways are worth much more than
they cost, and in the fact that we can now wei
all the money we want at per cent, Then.
with regard to the employment of an excessive
staff there has been vital factor ignored in
this connection. Our railway construction d.,
veloped with great rapidity and to keep pace
with the abnormal pressure very large mum.
Der of men were taken on. When matters set-
tied down to regularity and routine it was found
that the stat was Ia excess OF the needs. And