The Advocate and news., 1898-09-21
Public Ownership the Solution.
c. W. BADGER.


read Mr. Mungers argument for the
State ownership Of stock yards. Now 1
will put in an argument for a State-owned
railroad. And will try, like Mr.. Munger,
to show how and why we (the State)
should build and own railroad Let the
State Of Kansas start line running di-
rectly west through the center Of the State
to the west line. Then run branch lines
every twenty-five or thirty miles apart,
both north and south, to the State line.
They would be feeders to the main line.
The main line to be laid with elghty-pound
steel rails to the yard. The branch lines
could be laid with fifty or sixty-pOund
steel rails to the yard. The State to own
and operate the road, in the interest of all
the people, instead Of in the interest of the
foreign capitalist and alien bOndholders,
as Is being done with our present system
of railways. Let the State hold the road
in trust for all Of the people.
Let the State put in elevators and stock
yards, build and own telegraph and tele-
phone lines. Let the farmers have the use
of the elevators at COST operate the stock
yards at cost; operate the road at cost to
all OF the people. Let the State own its
coal mines and operate them, furnishing
the people of the State with fuel at cost
of production and transportation. Operate
telegraph and telephone lines at cost. That
is in accord with our present platform.
Now, a great many will ask, How will
the State proceed to get all of these things?
Easy enough. Let the State form it's own
plans. Then let the State call for volun>
teeFs in the cause, the State to make ap-
pIopriations so they could pay the same
to volunteers, that the United States pays
to its volunteers which 1t has put up as
targets to stop Spanish bullets. The State
furnishing the men their board, and tents
to sleep in. Thousands of farmers and
others would volunteer in the cause IL they
knew the road would always remain In the
peoples hands instead of going into for
eIgn bondholders hands as they have in
the past l have talked with a number OF
farmers, and they say they would be will
ing to work. man and team, on such a line
constructed and owned by the State for all
time to come. The State could make its
survey then some farmer undoubtedly
would give the right-Of-way (the writer is
one of these; others would ask fair price
for their land and receive their pay from
the State, and those who were unreasOna-
BILE would have their land appraised (same
as in public highways) and paid for ac-
cordingly. The majority of the people
through whose land the road would run
would aid the road as much as possible,
knowing there was no scheming or spec
ulating in 1t; and besides, as soon as the
road was in operation they would get the
benefit Of reduced rates in both freight
and passenger service.
The miners could get the products Of the
farm at cost; the farmers would get the
products of the mine at cost In connec-
tlon with the elevators, mills could be
built. The farmers then would not be at
the mercy Of the millers' trust which now
bambOozles the producer at every turn by
giving low prices for the raw material and
putting on fictitious values when the con-
sumner purchases the manufactured arti-
Gle. The State, by owning the mills and
elevators, could sell in the best market,
for the grain would be held by the State
and not by the spectators as at present.
For the main line Of road heavy locomo-
tives would be used, and lighter ones would
be used on the branches Where the traffic
Is light dummies could be run, to carry
passengers, mail and express. The State
furnishing its own fuel at cost.
As to paying its employees, 1t could issue
warrants, the State accepting the warrants