The San Francisco call., 1899-12-22
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP.

| is evident that if Mr. Bryan have his way the
next Democratic platform will indorse all the
economic vagaries that be gathered together
The great opposition to railroads in this country
Is based upon the belief that they unduy interfere in
politics, and this belief is justified by certain aggra-
waited instances OF such interference Whereupon in
stead OF nstitung measures to prevent the offensive
presence in politics OF those artificial persons called
corporations, the pseudo reormers plan a campaign
based upon prophecy OF important economic effects
which are to follow Government ownership and oper-
alton OF railroads. The operation feature is some
times modified, as 1t was in this State by Judge Ma
guire. in the proposition that the Government shall
own the roads but permit their use on the livery
stable plan, by letting any one use them who has or
hires locomotive and some cars But this is so OBJ
vously impractical that the concrete proposition Of
public ownership and operation stands as representa-
tive OF the scheme OF the state communists.
They advocate this because in other countries it is
in operation The nation that has gone farthest on
this line OF state railways is Germany There they
are owned and operated by the Government Germany
IS the best bureaucratic in existence It's
organization is the intensified and its directing
hand is elt in more ways in the life OF the people
than has been known before
Recently the managing director of the leading Ger
man steel plant made tour Of observation in the
United States TO study capacities in his line OF
business He publishes the results in a Berlin paper
In the metal trades he finds our conspicuous advan-
tage to be in the of machinery. In America" he
says, I'VE find what TO US an astonishing sub
stitution of machinery for manual labor Only in the
most necessary details is hand labor employed Such
vast and sllful application Of machinery offers es.
pecial advantages in time like this, when manual
labor is costly and difficult to obtain" An equal ele-
ment IN cheap production here he finds in the sur
prisingly low railway rates. He says: "The American
railway system far surpasses in cheapness and eff
cheney OF service anything known in Europe Freight
cars OF all classes far surpass in size and carrying
capacity those OF the German railways and the cost
OF freight per ton per mile in the United States is
only 27 per cent OF what it is in Germany"
Putting these two elements of cost in production
together, he concludes that when the demand for iron
and steel in the United States slackens there will be
surplus for export to Germany at prices which Ger
manufacturers will be unable to meet especially
in heavy plates, structural metal and rails
! We do not suppose that any observations and con-
cusons, or facts themselves will make any difference
with the political fanatics who hope to win by an
tagonizng everything that is. But these reports Of
foreign observers who visit to study the conditions
OF our production and distribution will not be with
out influence upon the who choose to think
! With distribution by rail 73 per cent cheaper on
American roads than the state roads OF Germany
the productive power OF this country has such an ad
vantage to obsolete all arguments for state owner
ship here based on comparative rates OF transporta-
ton Therefore the plan for Government ownership
in this country will end if adopted in magnifying the
real evil OF political interference without any economic
benefit to offset it.
Under our system, by seeming necessity, every
business operation OF the Government becomes a
factor in party politics In and peace wher-
ever the Government appears as a producer, car
rier, operator in any form Of business the party
that happens to be in power stands as partisan
beneficiary. Give into the hands Of the Government
the ownership and operation of our stupendous rail-
way system, and very soon, instead OF the people
owning the Government, the Government will own
the people, and the political evils now laid at the
doors OF railway management will appear as trihes
compared to those which would follow
The path OF progress for this city lies along the