The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-17
nDAY. OCTOBER Ii. 1902.
THE FUNCTIONS or GOVERN
MENT.


which demands government ownership
coal mines and takes issue with some
proportions laid down by tbs paper.
Tn. N1lsinian- Pilot does not believe in
government ownership Of coal mlEcs
save &c a last resort. but adds:
When. however the esteemed Times
n-ks Why government ownership of coal
mines vsoulG not commit the government
to the r-irciplo Of owning everything IN
Fight. IL ut one and the same lime dis
plays sory ching less than It's usa.al
powers Of perception and propounde a
question easy to answer.
'.In the first place, there is no such
fltint, IN, government as hatd and fast
principle to be applied indiscriminaiaiF.
to9c.eiy situation. Government is rnucA
more n meter Of common sense than ef
o4. and dried principle. In other words.
fovA,>nmcrt ownership Of coal mines
commits tn, government 10 nothing ey-
cert t:scir cljeration in the interest CT
1hs people
In this view the yirSinian-Pilot differs
materially from the trainers Of the Con-
stituuon. In the preamble OF that chart
st is said: We the people of the United
States. in order to form n more perfect
union, establish justice. insure domestic
Tranquility, provide Tor the common de-
Tense. promote the general welfare. and
secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and our posterity, do ordain and
establish the Constitution Of the United
States OF America
There is a clear and distinct and limit
"a daf1,s+jp,, of ,royarp,ue,t a 5arJ
ton as to the principles and objects of
government. a hard and fast rule
Nothing is said about the ownership
md operation OF coal mines or railroad
lines. or anything Of the kind. 1t would
he a radical departure from the prin-
:itlc upon which this. government was
founded for il to take possession Of coal
fields in a sovereign State. take them
away from private owners. and operate
them not in the interest of government.
hui Tor the people. 1t VIII not do TO
say that in doing this the government
would commit itself simply 10 4 single
proposition In doing this the govern
fla!it commits itself TO the general policy
soi soreIninent ownership and operation
Of industrial enterprises and SO, as We
have said makes Q radical and revolaz
tionary departure from its chart
Democrats in New York and i'll all
lalls Of tho country have protested, and
we arc surprised that so staunch
Democratic paper as the Nirginian
Pilot has not registered its protest with
nj clai Mr.,
Bird S Coier. the Democratic nominee
Tor Governor, has now come out in a
Published card declaring his opposition
to this socialistic plank in the New
York platform.
Again. the Nirginian-Pilot says thai
When The Times undertakes TO differ
cutiate between government ownership
and municipal ownership il is unable /
10 follow us. Also adds our con-
temporary. we do not know, what The
Times might mean by implying that
municipal government is a matter OF
business. while national government is
not
Let the New York World answer anu
explain 1t says:
The analogy Mr.. Jill tries to force
Between municipal ownership OF water
works and national ownership. Of coal
mines Will not convince any but the
most superficial thinkers. Municipalities
are corporations created by the State
and empowered 10 secure a supply of |
wate: light and other things for the |
people living within their limited bound
aries. The Federal Government was
not created fo: amy such purposes.
No,laing i'll the Constitution provides ord
implies that the Federal Government
should become a vast national depart
nlent store and keep shop for the whole |
people.
municipal corporation is creature |
"a the State Government. with we'll
defined and limited functions. chiefly of /
a business character. Municipal corpo- |
rations do not deal With the great prin-
ciples OF government. They are created
Tor the convenience Of the people who |
live within their borders The people al.
as the stockholders in a business corpo-
ration. with the Mayor as president and
the members OF the Council as directors i
II Is true that these corporations have /
courts and court officials, which admins
lister the laws and deal with the prin-
ciples OF government. but these are dI-
rected by the State Government and not
by the municipal government. whose
powers. as We have said are very limit
ed. There are towns in the United
States which are purely business corpo-
rations. There are town companies ope-
rated by board OF directors and differ
Ing IN no essential from corporations
which operate industrial enterprises II
is step from, the ighest to the lowest.
step, as 1t were, from the sublime to
the ridiculous for a man like Senator
I'LL TO take an example from NUM-
cipal corporation to illustrate great
principle OF government.
But now that the Goa! strike has been
settled, may he AIR. AIN and other e1-