Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-03-03
EVILS OF PRIVATE OWNERSHIP.

Writers on the transportation ques-
tions frequently rail at the railroad
corporaSiYns for the many evils that
private ownership of this public fune-
ton bring upon us. I wish 1t distinct
ly understood that have no quarrel
with the railroads except when they
break the law, which they frequently
do. My complaint, and my quarrel II
you please, is with the man who ~
ntrw reading these lines. You want u
government of, by and for the PEG.
ple," and then you neglect your busi-
ness! II every citizen would give one
hour day to intelligent and patriotic
study, thought and effort in the pub
lie interest, we would soon have
very different condition of things. II
this had been done since our govern
ment was established, there would not
now be tramp, pauper, hungry
child nor an ignorant man or woman
under the stars and stripes. II every
voter would keep in close touch with
his representative councils, legisla-
ture and congress, that alone would
do much good. The system of Direct
Legislation (the Initiative and the Ref
erendum) would make 1t possible for
us to take matters into our own hands
whenever we wish, but If we want this
system we must work for it.
The private corporations-the rail-
roads, telegraph companies, express
companies, etc.-have rendered a great
service to the people of this country,
because the people were too busy with
their little affairs to give attention to
their great affairs-too busy with pri-
vate interests, with personal selfish
ness as the motive, to give attention
to public interests, with desire for
the general good as the motive.
Yet as the selfish man usually finds
land deserves to find), our greatest
personal interests lie in the direction
Of the great public utilities that we
have so unwisely neglected for smaller
affairs.
Please think about this awhile, and
talk about it with your neighbor.
Don't depend so much on newspapers,
but read some good books on public
questions and then pass them around
among your neighbors. l have in this
department mentioned several such
books. If you have read them, will
cheerfuly mention more. The old
fashioned doctor was a leader of
thought in his community. 1 hope
that this good old fashion will never
go out of date. Then the question
naturally arises: Are you a worthy
leader of thought in your community?
You can't be unless you have given at
tention to the vital questions discussed
in these Talks" l do not wish to
intimate that you should always agree
with what 1 say, for am not so ego
tistic as that; but I do say that these
questions are vital to the best good
of every citizen; and I urge that cit
liens should not be satisfied with what
the newspapers say, but that they
should read good books on every side
of these questions. / imagine some
one saying: What shall we do IL we
can't rely on the newspapers? My
answer Is that a large proportion of
newspapers-and this includes our
greatest ones-must, for various rea-
sons, serve certain interests. They are
not so free as you are accustomed to
think, nor so free as they would like
to be. 1t is a well-known fact that
newspaper men, particularly those on
our great metropolitan papers, yearn
for freedom, and if they were to get it,
what revelations would astonish the
stupid populace! What an unmasking
of wrong and hypocrisy!-Dr. C. f.
Taylor.