The Advocate and news., 1898-10-05
Public Ownership Of Railroads.
PRANK n. RORREsT.


AS 10 public owned and controlled rail-
ways being a success l wish to refer the
reader to Consular Report for August 1894,
No. l67, at pages 579-8O-S1, etc, report made
by Daniel w. Maratta, Consul General to
Australia, located at Melbourne. His re-
port reads as follows:
"The railways OF Australia practically
represent the assets for the national
debts OF each colony, and to-day would
probably realize, II they were to be dis
posed Of, the full amount OF the nation
al Indebtedness. II is, however, Inn
probable that the people concerned will
ever allow these great possessions to
pass into private hands, believing that
they should be retained to open up and
develop the resources OF the colonies
and aid In the material progress OF
Australia. Each railway sys-
tenn is under the control Of three COM
mssloners, who have had large pow
ers to administer, free from political
interference; and those best able to
judge are OF the opinion that the sys-
tenn has worked well. In the
other colonies the result of the rail-
way working under the capable COM
missloners that have been appointed has
been most satisfactory, and the people
are content to leave the conditions gem
orally as they are at present.
Here we have 1t from the Consul Cen
eral to Australia as late as 1894 that the
people of Australia are satisfied with gov
ernment ownership OF railways. BY lis
tening to the opponents Of public owner
ship OF railways one would think the gov
ernment owned railway countries are try
ing to get rid of the paternalistlc spirit
that has pervaded them. At page 5S1 the
Consul General continues:
1.-THE aggregate Of the national debt
of the colonies (Of Australa) would ap-
pear to be disproportionate when COM
pared with the limited population Of
Australia, and complaints have FREE
quently been made In the English press
that the colonies were unmindful Of
the Festlna lente and all the good adj
vice that convenient adage Is supposed
to offer. The adverse criticism has not,
however, up to the present had shad-
oW of justification. Let 1t be remem-
beTed that the money borrowed has not
been sunken In undertakings which give
no return, but has been expended in
works which are reproductive, yield
ing direct return on the capital and
representing a greater value than the
original cost; for instance, the New
South Wales lines, costing about $751;
$4,000, are estimated to be worth more
than $i94 100000. Further the money has
been spent in developing large resources
which add to the wealth Of the colo
MES. 1t Is wise to emphasize this point,
as 1t seems to have been overlooked to
a large extent. In Europe the national
debts Of the various countries (the Unit
ed States should have been added have
been incurred principally through the
expenses Of prolonged wars, and the
money has gone beyond recovery; but
in these colonies the expenditure is
represented by public works, which are
more valuable than the entire national
debt and pay direct return, in some
cases, equal to the interest due upon
the capital invested"
Here we have an example Of enterprise
not even excelled in proud America. Aus
tralia making one hand wash the other.
How simple and yet how difficult and te-
dious to get such facts pounded into the
head OF the average voter. There is a
reason why railroad magnates, like Pres
ldent Ripley, should be opposed to govern
ment ownership of railways, but there Is
no reason on top of Gods earth why a
common laborer, farmer, mechanic and
professional voter should be opposed to
the government ownership Of public util-
tiles.
MankatO, Kas.