The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-05-07
tho limited States

the United States.
But it remained for Italy to boldly
declare that state ownership is fail
ure. After trying many plans and
involving itself in financial embarass-
ment, the government gave the whole
question into the hands of commits
sion, which was to investigate the
matter and find, if possible, remedy
for the trouble brought on by mis-
management. The work of this COM
mission was the most complete ever
accomplished by any like body of
men and after years of patient labor,
they announced the following con-
illusions: 1st that the theory of
cheaper and better service by the
state than private parties is false;
md, that private companies are able
to do many things for their patrons
that the government can not do; 3rd,
that the state management is more
costly than private management; 4th,
that great political dangers are in
cident to state management-pOli
corrupt the management and the man.
agement cOrrupts politics. In sup
port of this last statement they cite
case in Belgium where a railroad
tariff was adopted for the sole purpose
of gaining popular favor and sustain
ing corrupt administration.
The commission recommended that
the government wash it's hands of
the whole scheme of railroad manage
ment and lease its roads for period
of sixty years, selling such equip
ments as it then owned. This was
done and the result is a relief of the
national treasury from heavy bnr-
den, the elimination of cOrrupting
influence from politics, the rapid in
prOvement of the whole railway
system, and a much more efficient
and cheaper service to the public.
! Failure in state ownership is not
confined to Europe alone, for in the
| United States, Indiana, Pennsylvania,
Michigan, Massachusetts, Illinois and
Georgia have each tried it and found
! the experiment a costly one. In 1916
notwithstanding a large congressional
land grant, Michigan sold its rail
roads, and in order to make a repeti-
ton impossible, amended its consti-
tuition prohibiting the state forever
/ from attempting any internal i'm
! pTOvementS.
/ Massachusetts, too, i'm cunning New
! England got caught in the govern
ment railroad trap. Illinois becOm-
/ ing Disguised with its heavy losses in
railroad operations, sold 100000
worth of railroad stock for 100000.
| The utter absurdity of government
control Of railroads was never more
completely demonstrated than in the
experience of Georgia. Management
became a state peril and i'm 1870 the
/ property was leased to a private cor
pOratiOn and is now in the hands of
receiver.
In conclusion it will be prof table
as well as interesting to note how
our railway system is regarded by
| high authorities in other countries.
Geo. p. Neele, superintendent of
/ great English railway, said in his
address delivered at the Worlds Rail
way Commerce Congress at the
Worlds Fair, 'In no portion of the
globe is it possible to discover a de-
velOpment of railways approaching to
that Of America. Great as the growth
of railways has been in England, the
mileage totals of the states equal, |
| believe, that of all other countries put
| together, Yet in 1850, Illinois had
| but two short lines in its borders, the
whole country to the west was totally
| devoid Of railroad facilities. a new
world has since been developed al
most entirely owing to railroads.
| The country from ocean to ocean is
crossed and recrOssed by grand and
rival routes penetrating to mountain
| Businesses, spanning gigantic rivers,
! villages, cities, towns, states spring
ING into existence on the courses
opened out by the iron pathway.
Well may the railway Congress of the
World beprOud of such results"
On the same occasion Count Caselli
Gen. See. Italian Commission to the
Worlds Fair said, Wherever | turn
in this great and free country the
vastnesS of the railroad system creates
in me always new wonders as l OBJ
serve the work of your great COM
panies moved by the double aim of
civiliZing unfrequented land and use
fully carrying out great financial
speculatiOns. Though asserting the
merits of the Italian railway ] am
thoroughly convinced how much we
have to learn in the country of Cooper
from the American railway system. !
America is an example to the world
of the power, strength of will and
knowledge ola very young and power
full people, to whom nothing is inn
possible"
We are grateful for these tributes
coming from such sources and we
believe them to be just. At the end
of this fifty years of progress, in look
ing back upon the great things ac-
cOmplished, nothing more worthy of
praise can be seen than the successful
establishment and management of
the American railway system, and
we as Americans are proud of our
cOuntry's magnificent achievements
TIE nm Ann ZIMMERMAN