The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-04
MAoUIRE's RAILROAD POLICY.

| IN favor OF Government ownership OF railways.
Going the familiar argument that railway IS
substitute for the common highway, he proceeded
to draw, very plainly the distinction OF Government
ownership and operation OF railroads, which he de-
nounced bitterly as sociastic proposition, and his
plan for Government ownership alone. Having es-
tablished this distinction he said:
What then is the function OF democratic govern
ment? Certainly not to bar the way of progress by
refusing to provide highway for the new and inn
proved vehicles OF transportation. Certainly not to
disregard the lives and interests of its people by
bning railroads with wagon-roads, but to open UP
highways so constructed to the interests
of the public with the greatest possible safety in the
operation OF the system OF transportation. When
the railroad highway is constructed what, then,
the true function of democratic government? 1t is
first to protect the highway from interference of any
kind that would either destroy impair its usefulness
What next? Manfesty to open the highway to all
citizens who desire operate locomotives and cars
the road on terms of perfect equality and with
such limitations only as are necessary to prevent
transporters of freight and passengers from interior
ing with each other and to prevent far possible
the danger OF collisions and other accidents This
done by the Government, the commercial instincts OF
the people, based upon intelligent self-interest will
do the rest"
This plan is not original with the Judge 1t was
mooted more than twenty-five years ago, and
known as the livery stable plan"
1t will be observed that while he insists that the
Government owns the railroad stations and ter
mnals, and keeps up the analogy between the rail
road and the wagon-road he leaves it be inferred
that the of the railroad, like that of the wagon
road is be free to the many individuals whose
mercia instincts will lead them hitch up cars and
locomotives and go into the business of transpora-
ton in competition with each other they formerly
did in staging and freighting the common high
way. The wagon-road is made and kept in order at
public cost and he leaves the inference, again, that
the is to be the with the railroad
The OF steam in transportation, the risk to per-
and property in transit by that means the rivalry
of individual interests in operating railroads the
livery stable plan and the easy way of shifting
sponsibity for loss and damage, would cause both
the shipper and the individuals who are to the
livery stable trains to shy at the whole plan. The
result would naturally be that instead of competition
there would be complete monopoly than now.
AS the person owning the trains is not responsible
for keeping the track in order but that must be done
by the public, there would appear the ndiffer-
to it that is everywhere manifested by the pub
lie in keeping the wagon-roads passable If ties rot
and rails spread if trestles break and bridges fall
under trains responsibility would to the Govern
and not to the owner of trains and locomotives.
The Government cannot be sued. Every year now
millions of dollars recovered against railroads in
the courts. Under the Judges system claimants for
damages would have to 60 to Congress the Legs-
lature for appropriation in relief glance at the
docket of the various claims committees of Congress
throws light such process. This class of
claims would first present themselves separate de-
mands. Getting no satisfaction, they would finally
combine in the hands OF claim agents, and, the
volume of this combination increased, the attack on
the financial integrity of the legislators would grow
more formidable, and the means of corruption in pub
lie life would be immensely greater than they have
been when railroad corporations have dealt with the
legislative branch of the Government.
Again, the Judges plan would not nourish that in
dvidualism for which he says he stands as against
socialism, would it probably tend to cheaper the
cost of travel and freight transportation He
again and again to the former state of free competi
ton in both on the wagon-roads II the change from
that method OF carriage to the railroad had been
simply change in the element of time, reducing the
time between producer and consumer and enabling
the more frequent of capital employed in the
change and thereby increasing its profits the benefit
would have been material. 1t would have been sim
liar to the increase in the earning power of ship
and the more frequent turning of capital at profit
which followed Maury's institution of great circle
sailing on the oceans But this was not the only ben
eft that followed the substitution OF rail for wagon
transportation. 1t Immediately reduced greatly the
cost per passenger and per ton per mile, and that
duction has gone progressively under the present
system of ownership and operation of railways which
Judge Mcguire desires to abolish.
Edward Atkinson Estimates that the former charge
per head of population for the transportation Of food
fuel, fbers and fabrics SCI Al per annum, and
this charge has fallen to $40 AZ per head per
annuln,
The Judge desires to change the system that has
effected this reduction in the cost of living and to
approximate it to the former wagon-road plan He
show that Under his plan there will not also fol-
low approximation to former cost OF the service.
He proposes to abolish franchises, that there being
no franchise there be public control in the
sense in which the is asserted over corpora
tons engaged in transportation.
The only limitation will be in the application to in
dividuals of the common law of common carriers, as