St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-12-30
"T HAT was a strange assertion
of Andrew Carnegie's," said
III Judge Sawyer, looking up
fron bic,
from his paper.

mel Monroe.
"'You can say for me- said Mr.. Cal
negie in an interview, that | am thol
oughly in favor Of the suggestion tina
all railroads be nationalized. 1t woul,
be an excellent thing for the people
that were dohe. Look at the econom,
that would be effected if all of the rail
roads were under state control. Fare
would be lowered, and the comfort O
the passengers would be better looked
| after
"That is surprising statement fo
Mr. Carnegie to make" declared thu
| judge when he had finished reading
II never suspected that he entertained
such radical views"
II see nothing wildly radical in the
suggestion that the government owr
the railroads." returned Colonel Mon
roe. Neither do l regard it strange
that such men as Morgan and Carnegie
look with favor ON the naturalization
of railroads"
'But it's nothing more or less than
another step toward socialism"
Suppose that it is; what of it," ask
ed Colonel Monroe calmly. 1--WE have
been taking steps toward socialism, as
you call it, ever since the pilgrims
landed on Plymouth rock, and it is the
consensus of opinion that we have
been stepping up and not down. The
consolidation of the thirteen monar-
chical and anarchistical colonies into a
trust called the United States Of
America was the most prodigious step
toward socialism the world has ever
witnessed. Step by step we have in
creased the powers and added to the
functions of our government, and as
every intelligent man now knows these
are moves toward socialism If the
government acquires and operates the
railroads, it will, as you say, take an
other step toward socialism. Whatev-
er a state or government does which
private capital or enterprise can by any
possibility accomplish is, in essence, So
cialistic. The government conducts the
post office system and absolutely mo-
nopolizes it. Private capital could and
would be glad of chance to engage
in the transportation and distribution
of the mails. 1t would, of course, speed
lily create private monopoly and reap
corresponding profits In other words
a governmental monopoly conducted
without profit is socialistic admins
tratiye feature. We have scores of such
institutions. The more conspicuous
ones are the postal service, the public
school system, the life saving and light
house systems, the superb work of the
agricultural and fisheries departments,
and locally such services as fire depart
ments, park and boulevard mainte-
nance, public libraries, recreation and
bathing places and other similar fea-
lures Private enterprise could operate
all of these institutions at profit and
would do so were it not for the fact
that our socialistically inclined people
prefer to have the government state or
municipality, as the case may be, con-
duct them at cost for the benefit of all"
THAT isn't socialism," declared Post
master jenkins, who had been listening
lntently. Socialists want to divide ev-
erythlng up and begin all over again.
That's what socialism is
There is no such definition of the
WORD, and there is no record that any
one ever advocated so insane a propo-
tlon, said Colonel Monroe. "No one
demands that the railroads be divided
but there is an intelligent and growing
faction of our people which favors one
railroad system owned and operated
by the government. There are reasons
to be advanced in favor of this propo-
sition and logical arguments against it.
When the American people get ready to
render a decision they will spend
mighty little time figuring whether or
not it is socialistic. That word has lost
its power as a scarecrow in the fields \
Of special privilege. Why are you sur
prlsed, 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 position"
'eplied the Judge. More than that. |
nave always supposed that Mr.. Carne-
sie was opposed to the extension of the
powers of the government. His speech
IS and writings had led me to believe
hat he was pronounced individual
st-in other words, an old line Demo
rat
Permit me to correct you, Judge
sawyer" said Colonel Monroe. "Mr
carnegie is only one of a large number
II men of wealth and influence who
AVE made similar declarations. ].
oierpont Morgan in an authorized in
ervlew has positively asserted his be-
lef that the time was not far distant
when there would be one national sys-
EN- OF railroads owned or operated. or
'oth. by the government. | can name
o you a score of well known railroad
fficials who have made statements to
he same effect. These men realize
more readily than does the public that
he tendency toward consolidation is
irresistible. A city must have one sys-
EN- of waterworks and one street rail
way system. For efficient municipal
ervice competition is impossible and
nOnOD0ly inayita hIa For tho ca ,,,o 80,