The Mena star., 1899-07-27
REMARKABLE STATEMENTS.


 the Kansas City Star, makes some very radical as we'll as logical statements regarding the railway systems and management that should be considered by the peo- pie. Mir. Morton favors legalizcd pooling of railroads and says it must either be that or concentra- ton of ownership or government contract. He is reported as say ing:
 "There are great many people in this country who are violently opposed to trusts or inonopolies of any kind, and yet they favor unrestricted com pensation without realizing that the natural result of such competition IS concentration.
 ''Unrestricted competition means that the big shipper, the colossal 'n- dustrial enterprise, the institution with the greatest tonnage will con- tinue to secure preferential rates. and it also means that if there are any dis criminations to be made in rates that the larger cities as we'll as the large shippers will get the inside.
 .Governmental control or ownership of railroads will probably not be at tenn pted nor advocated until the pub lie realizes that unrestricted compe- tition has forced the railroads of the country into few hands, and then there will be great demand to achieve it, notwithstanding the fact that the people themselves will be to blame for the concentration of power and proprietorship in the transporta- tion facilities of the country.
 ''I am one of those who have very strong views on the subject of trans portation. l consider that it is a pub lie service and to some degree d tax. I believe that all shippers ana travel CTS should be treated alike, that there should be no playing favorites.' l think that it would be just as proper for one merchant to buy his postage stamps or his customs duties for less money than another, as it is, under like circumstances and similar condi- tious, for one shipper or traveller to have better rates of transportation than another
 Transportation by rail ought to be considered as a monopoly and should be properly supervised as such. If the government of the United States were to have different custom houses along it's coast competing with each other as to import duties it would, in 2 sense, be repetition of what is now going on in the transportation business.
 ''T maintain that there should be just as little variation iD transporta- tion charges as in custom house duties and that when this can be accom- plished all shippers and travellers will be on the same plane, stability of rates will be insured, violent huctua- tions on account of rate wars will be done away with the public will be better served and railroad securities be safer investment.
 The strongest points made by Mr. Morton are his comparisons between the purchase of postage stamps and the collection of duties at the custom offices showing that in ali business transactions with the government the true principle of equality is carried out-all GUS toners being treated alike and having equal opportunities to secure life, liberty. and pursuit of happiness.
 Mr. Morton manfulv announces that this is the principle which should prevail in railway trans portation and argues for legalized pooling Us the means of securing that end but clearly sees that gov ernmcnt contract or ownership is likely to be demanded by the peo- pie in place of legalizcd pooling. The comparisons made tend log icalIy to the conclusion that gov ernment control is the only solu- tion of the present very unsatis- factory and unjust conditions.