Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1903-01-08
Government Ownership 0l bail



The most current objection to Gov
ernment Ownership Of Railroads is
that it cannot make the business
pay. The Post Office DEPARTMENTS
always quoted for proof. The ar
gument is somewhat plausible but
there is just whore . mistake is
made. Very many transactions
"pay" that do not in themselves d.
rectly return more money than H.
expended in them. No one antici-
pates that the newspaper publisher
will hand back more money than the
advertiser gives him and yet s'it
pays to advertise" because 1t brings
to the store or shop or other place Of
traffic the people who do have the
money to exchange for goods or SER
vices. This is what the Postal De-
!. partment does; it creates the busi-
E-1ess out of which must come, not
simply the price of q two cent stamp,
but also the thousands of dollars that
enable this United States to do bus
iness. AS we'll say advertising does
not pay as to claim for moment
that the postal service does not pay.
If it did make direct money re-.
turn there would be a shout from
millions of people. for greater ser
vice at less price.
Our government makes no direct
profit out of the army or navy, the
agricultural department or the GEN.
sus bureau, but that does not prove
that it does not make profit out of
coming money. Anything that the
government undertakes that Is In
tended to ''pay" in the usual sense
of that term will be found to pay.
Its business is to run the whole
country and it does it so well that it
would have large balances on the
right side of the ledger but as. soon
as that condition approaches q de-
mand is made that 1t shall spend the
balance or reduce its price for rum
ming the country, that Is reduce the
axes. ---, >--s,s 49,
There is mo government official
that is over paid for his services
from the President down to the
Fourth Class Postmaster and for the
character Of the service the govern
ment pays:iess than private corpora
tions and individuals. Let its en-
ployes be protected from political
slaughter and it can command the
best brains, the best skill and the
highest physical and mental acquire
ments always at compensations as
moderate as can be desired or ex-
pected. There is a sense Of security
about it that will always secure this
condition.
Then as we have said IN former
article, the ownership ofthe greatest
railroad system may change In Wall,
Street in day but the personnel of
the executive and operating force re.
mains and goes right on as If no such
change had occurred. What is to
prevent sexactly the same naodus
operUadi if the government were the
purchaser and why could not the
same staff produce the same results?
1t is not the President of Railroad
that makes the profits or the loss,
nCr is it the stock and bond holders.
The fact is that the government
could borrow the capital needed for
railroad purchase ind construction
at lower rates of interest than any
individual or any corporation. Un-
der the protection Of honestly adj
ministered civil servive rules and
with proper provision for WORKOUT
and disabled servants its staff would
cost less than for any other employ
er, no ruineus strikes would occur,
wasteful and unnecessary competi-
tion.wculd De eliminated, unjust dis
elimination abolished and facilities
fol. traffic: accorded where they are
nov denied.
Continued in next issue.
cod6Iy Commissioners Sworn info 0iiiee