The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-08-28
GOVERNMENT AND RAILROADS.

GOVERNMENT AND RAILROADS.
The recent newspaper reports that the
Prussian governments has been success
ful in its ownership and opeTalioq of
railroads is leading many in this ccvE-
try to raise the hue and cry that the
United States government should At once
assume the ownership of and opera;s all
the railroads of this country; ;ha; such
action would be the panacea Of all the
transportation evils of the day and that
upon the tremendous debt for purchase
OF the roads thus incurred the govern
mear could make good earnings. where
the railroad companies now fail
The fallacy OF such arguments is ap-
paren; to all who have studied he s.tua-
ton and are familiar with railway mGr-
age nelk and the inricacies surrounding
the relations Of the railroads 70 the
people and the problems Of competitive
traffic. In a monarchy like Prussia.
where the railroads are avowedly built
primarily for strategic purposes n war
ari only seconiarfly to serve tie public
in transportation, and where the govern
ment does not change every four years,
b., its officers hold thsir tenure for
life, government ownership and operation
OF railroads is more feasible, as t does
not make mucn difference whether the
roads earn dividends or rot. II 1t is
true. however. that Prussia has heen
successful in owning and operating rail-
roads. !; is about the first Instance on
record q gland. France, Germany azd
Italy all tried II, ard were Obliged 10
turn the roads back to the comp mics.
England, through the establishment of
its railway clearing house reained the
best control Of the roads and at the same
time secured the fairsst consideration
for the public on all traffic matters.
That a government like tha. of the
Cniged States, with so vast a err tory
Of such diverse interests served by .00O0
miles OF railroad. upon which depsai the
brs.ness of thousands of merchants and
the welfare Of millions Of people. can /.
own aid operate its railroads is prepos-
ferrous The machinery of government
is already so large as to be unwieidy. 1
and to throw into the hands Of Dolit- /
clans the control of 10000 additional en-
ployees, who for the sake Of their Jobs
might be induced TO vote any ticket pro
posed for them, would open the ioor to
such frauds and co-spiracy as have been
undreamed Of Then again, with men
in the railroad service being constantly
changed with every t1ew administration
discipline and economical management
could no. possibly be maintained, and the
railroads would eat the head off the
government and the people. It axes
managers, traffic agents and machinlsts
years to learn Their business, and the
requirements of particular roads and the
particular communities which they serve.
BY the time ge.eral freight agent
learned what was needed On his road.
under government control he would BE-
ousted and superseded by a green man.
Yes but. it is said. the principles Of civil
service reform might be applied 20 the
railroad department, as they are 20 the
postoffice department. But even tEen
the heads of departments, as IN tie post
office, would be subject to the changes
incident to each new administration, and
it is to the heads Of the great fairoad
departments that success Or failure IS
due. Then extend the civil service rules
TO the heads as well as the rank and
file, It is urged Night as well say ex-
tend the republican form of government
70 a monarchy Of the old type, in which
nothing but the kings pleasure or death
can change officials and methods Of gov
ernmsnt.
No. the system Of railroads in the
United States is too vast and complex
TO be owned and operated by govern
nent. But it is perfectly feasible to
adopt a happy mean, based on the prin-
ciples Of the English Railway Clearing
House. and substitute for the abortion
Of an interstate commerce act a meas
ure which will give to the companies
and the people alike the projection to
which they are entitled; establish a
government supervision over rates, pools,