The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-14
SENATOR n,LL,s SPEECH.

SENATOR HILLS SPEECH.
Senator I'm, in his speech in Brook
I'm on Saturday night, said that the
proposition OF the New York Democracy
for the government to take possession
OF the anthracite coal mines OF Penn
sylvania and operate them was neither
startling, revolutionary, sociaiisuc nor
patcrnai.
We suppose that Mr.. Hill meant by
mis- TO say that the proposition Is not
. tdeparture from well-recognized Demo
cratic principles II so, he disaErees
With Mr.. James X. Mcclure, OF SYRIA
s,,se. the author of the public ownership
plank In the New York platform MT.
Mcclure in q newspaper conmunlca-
hon admits that in adopting this plank
s,tho Democratic party of the State OF
New York may appear to have strayed
sornewhat from the paths of Thomas
Jefferson but defends the action Of the
convention on the ground that condi-
lions have changed since Mr.. Jeffer-
sons day.
There is no question that this is a
radical departure from the teachings OF
Thomas Jefferson and from the prin-l
etples and practices Of the Democratic
oarty in his day.
Again, Mr.. Hill claims that this pro-
position does not commit the party to
any other projects Of public ownership.
Whatever their merits, If any there be-"
Whether so or not, It does undoubtedly
commit the party to the principle of
0overnmeut ownership and control OF
Coal mines. and IL Of anthracite coal
mines, why not Of bituminous coal
Rines; and IL OF bituminous coal mines,
Sghy not or iron mines, and iron produc-
0ng concerns. ana OF any and all enter
Ds1ses IN this State and that which the
6ovsrnment may see fit to own and
operate? Mr.. Hill, in support Of his
contention, points to the fact that GER
tain cities of the country own and ope-%
aRte water works gas plants and the
IKE. But everybody knows that muni-8
cipal corporation Is largely business
corporation. and that it differs essen
tally from the State and national gov
eminent The idea of using this to illus
trate cardinal principle of national
and State government is absurd, and it
is remarkable that Senator Hill should
have stopped to such demagogy.
Senator ll1ll may deceive himself into
thinking that the government may go
that far and no farther but everybody
KNOWS that this plank in the New York
platform was put there not to meet an
emergency. but to cater to sentiment,
and a rapidly increasing sentiment i'm
this country in favor of government
control OF everything. In the Sorthsde
Examiner. published at lFarmville, Va,
ana edited by Mr.. J. S. Mc1lwaine. son
OF Or. McIlwaine, president of Hamp-
den-Stoney College. and a member of
The Constitutional Convention, is an
article on this same subject, from which
ne take the following extract:
The Times is right in saving that the
government may with equal proplicty
own the railroads and the telegraph and
steamship lines Undoubtedly. And this
As the trend of opinion in the United
where there was one voter twenty Years
ago who believed in government owner
ship of railroad and telegraph lines
there are twenty to-day. We believe
that vote on the subject to-day. after
due discussion and without any undue
pressure on the voters, would show a
large majority of them in this country
In favor OF government ownership of
railroads and telegraph lines.
We are not prepared TO believe that
the people OF the United States are as
much in favor OF communism as the
Gouthside Examiner believes, but we
have no sort Of doubt that il the Demo
cratic party Of the country should sue
coed on MIR. Hills platform it would
NOT be long before Democracy would be
o thing of the past and communism
would rule supreme. 1t is useless to
shut our eyes to the fact that the spirit
OF communism is rampant in this coun-
try to-day. The strike situation in Penn
Oylvania has not created that sentiment.
but SIS simply the occasion for its ex-
preston, and tho New York Democracy
= catering to 1t.
s- IS - t' Fsr5s I -
) 4 ''r;EEa = /. Z
But let us look for moment at the
practical side of this question. Mr.. Hill
argues beautifully and others are argu-
lne that II the government should take
possession OF the anthracite mines Of
Pennsylvania the people would soon
have plenty OF coal at reasonable
price. Mr.. Hill says that the differences
between the miners and the private
owners OF the mines break out with in
creased bitterness and violence every
Few years, causing widespread public
distress. involving the Intervention of
the State or national troops, largely in
creas,ng the price OF what has come TO
be regarded as necessity Of life, and
disturbing all business interests" But
what guarantee can he give or can any
man give that this would not be the
case X the government owned The
mines7 Is 1t to be supposed that the
miners would work for the government