The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-24

it's power as a scarecrow in the fields
of special privilege. Why are you sur
prised. Judge Sawyer, that Mr.. Carne-
gle should be in favor of the national
ownership of railroads?"
Because he is the first man of great
wealth who has taken such a position"
replied the Judge. More than that, L
have always supposed that Mr.. Carna-
gle was opposed to the extension of the
powers of the government. His
speeches and writings had led me to
believe that he was pronounced in
dividualist; in other words, an old line
Democrat"
Sawyer" said Col. Monroe. Mr.. Car
negie is only one of a large number of
men of wealth and influence who have
made similar declarations. j. Pierpont
Morgan in an authorized interview re-
Gently, positively asserted his belief
that the time was not far distant when
there would be one national system of
railroads owned or operated, or both,
by the government. 1 can name to you
a score of well-known railroad officials
who have made statements to the same
effect. These men realize more readily
than does the pubic that the tendency
toward consolidation is irresistible A
city must have one system of water
works, and one street railway system.
For efficient municipal service compe-
tition is impossible, and monopoly in
evitable For the same reason that
there must be a monopoly in the collec-
tion and distribution of the mails there
should be one general system for the
collection and distribution of freight,
and for the carrying of passengers. All
far-seeing railroad men and financiers
realize that this is a fact beyond dis
pute. Men like Morgan and Carnegie
also are aware that the American peo-
pie will not permit private interests
to own or operate such a monopoly.
They are frank enough to say so pub
licly.'
TT will be a bold experiment, if ever
undertaken declared Judge Sawyer.
II fail to see the experimental fea-
ture" asserted Col. Monroe. You
speak as if this were the first time
! the subject ever presented itself to a
people. You ignore the fact that half
| or nearly half of the railway mileage
| of the world is now owned and oper-
ated by governments. The United
! States and Great Britain are the only
! first-class nations which yet permit the
! private ownership of railroads. Repub-
! lcan France and Switzerland control
! the means of transportation. 1t is only
a few years since the railroads of
Switzerland were in private hands. Her
! people were confronted by the same
problem that now faces us, but they
I had no difficulty in purchasing the lines,
and are now operating them to the
satisfaction of all concerned. In Ger
many, Austria, Holland, Italy, Sweden,
Norway and Russia nearly all of the
railroads are owned by the respective
| governments. In each of these great
/ countries the official at the head of
the department of railways ranks high
as a cabinet member. They consider
a railroad as much of an asset of the
! government as any other road OF high
way, and why shouldn't they?"
Where is the experiments? contin-
ued the Colonel, after waiting for a
reply. Russia IL building across ST.
IBERIA the grandest railway system in
! the world. England is interlacing In
l dia with government railroads. Ger
many Is building and buying rail-
/ roads Canada, 10 our north, owns
/ 1000 miles Of railroad and Is building
more. Ana despite these facts. and
the additional one that in every in-
stance government ownership a q sue