The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-02-21

The relative food value of sugar-beets
and mangel wurzels was discussed, and
it was decided that the beets were the
best for stock.
The closing hour was given up to the
discussion of various spraying. devices.
TUESDAY EVENING SESSION.
Miss Peterson rendered fine selection
on the organ, which was followed by
song by the Acme Quartet, my Rose
bud, in their usual fine style, which
was enthusiastically encored.
Farm topics were laid aside at the
evening session but the program con-
tinued to be one of interest to farmers.
The two speakers of the evening, the
Hon. Chase S. Osborn and c. B. Horton,
Master of the State Grange, did not
however confine their addresses to sub
jects which were of interest to farmers
alone but spoke along lines which are of
the utmost interest to all citizens. Par
ticularly was this true of the first ad-
dress by Mr.. Osborn who spoke on the
railroads of the country and the ad-
vantages and disadvantages of govern
| mental control of the same The sub
ject appealed strongly to all, while the
consideration of the model farmer by
Mr.. Horton also brought out thoughts
which were of as much value to society
in general as to the farmer.
Tl,a oIz Il, 81,
commanded the closest attention from
its very nature was the one by Railroad
Commissioner Osborn. With the briefest
possible compliment to the farmers for
the interest which they are taking ait
the present time in the affairs of the
country and reference to the fact that
it was only the pure life of the country
which saved the French republic from
the destructive influences of corrupt
Paris, Mr.. Osborn paid his audience the
greatest compliment of all by taking his
hearers at once into his confidence and
giving them the frankest possible ex-
position of the railway situation as it is
today and particularly in all bearings
which affect the question of government
ownership.
At the outset a number of important
matters We're touched on which showed
to some extent the supervision which is
already necessarily exercised over the
railways. Among the most important
of these is the matter of grade crossings
One thousand people were, injured last
year by the railways in Michigan. The
majority of these accidents were al
grade crossings. The continental coun
tries and, in the United States, Mass
achusetts and New York, are already
well under way in the work of COMPEL
ing the roads to abolish all grade cross
ings. To the electric railways this
demand seems heavy burden, but
when the interest ON the original cost
and the cost of maintenance of the two
systems are compared there is little
more expense if any involved by the
separation Of the grades at the very be
ginning Other railway questions such
as the matter of preventing pooling,
which threatens to kill all competition,
the securing of equitable rates for all
shippers and communities, and the pre-
vention Of the great lobbying operations
of the railroad kings were discussed and
all in measure led up to the question
of governmental purchase and operation
of the railways 1t is absolutely neces.
sary that the government exercise a
certain degree Of control over the rail
ways-as it does at present The ques-
tion therefore naturally suggests itself,
cannot it safely acquire and advantage
ously operate the roads-in other words,
is not governmental control practicable.
SO far the conclusions to which Mr..
Osborn has apparently arrived are that
it is practicable.
In Germany the 30, GOO miles of rail
way are owned by the government and
are source of profit to her. Italy
proftably manages her 10000 miles.
France Holland, and other European
countries handle their mileage with
equal success. The United States has
some 200, 900 miles of road, about one
half the mileage of the world but the
American people are accustomed to
handle large projects and to handle
them well. What other countries have
already done with their railway systems
the United States could do with hers.
In spite of the size of the system--the
mileage of Michigan alone exceeds that
of either Mexico or Spain-the control
of the railway systems of the country
would not take as many men as the
government had in its employ during
the war of the rebellion and with a
proper civil service, and the public
conscience aroused and active as it
should be, there would be just as great
a degree of efficiency in every branch of
the railway service as there is at present
in this country where admittedly the
railway equipment is the best on earth
With the system on this basis there is
no need to fear the creation of any
political machine any more than there is
| NJ ,,raoanf n, fha y,ocfa1 oa,-x,;ce 80