The independent., 1903-07-02

train. That will be the average num-
Der all the way through. OF course
they will charge about fifteen times,
getting on and off at every station.
Suppose, by accident, one more than
the AZ passengers rode on the same
train to Chicago and no one connected
with the train service knew of it,
how much extra would it really cost
the company to carry this unknown
passenger: Barring accident, not 5
cents.
There is room now for five or six
times as many people to ride on steam
railways as do ride Why not LET them
rue? Suppose | had monopoly of
the streets OF your cities, and by paw
ing them, could charge the public for
their use. Suppose the charge was all
the traffic would bear, and only one
fifth Of the citizens could afford TO
use them. Every citizen would like to
use the streets more or less, but the
monopoly charges prohibits them.
True. there is room for five or six
times a. many people on the streets.
Reducing charges to actual cost SO ev-
cry one could use the streets would
not neeessitate more streets. 1t would
simply make 1t possible for all men to
use them on equal terms.
Why, then, should steam railways be
monopolized any more than paved
streets in our cities? Either one in
terferes with trade and commerce, and
Is against the advancement of civili-
zation. Freight reductions should
follow in like manner under govern
ment ownership and operation. There
should be uniform charge of SIS to
move car to next station or $40 to
end of division 100 or 200 miles The
average car of freight is hauled 135
miles. Such reduction would lessen
the distance between the farmer and
the eastern markets one-half; and
bring the manufacturer of the east and
consumers of the west closer together.
More than that, it would put all men
on the same equal footing as regards
the equal use c. our public highways.
The above is not given out as an
acurate estimate, by any means but
it is not far out of line. 1t should
arouse thought and discussion at any
rate. The object aimed at is great
one--it means more for humanity than
many of us have dreamed of.
Some ten years ago, think it was
Mr.. Huntington of the Southern Pa
cific, who wrote in the North Ameri-
can Review that railway service woull
never be complete until under one
management: The question is:
Should our great transportation sys-
tenn be controlled by the government
like the postal department, or by
scme Morgan or Rockefeller? A dan
gerous power would thus be placed in
the hands of one man. The power to
make or break individuals, cities and
towns. Mr. Huntington showed that
great economy would come of one
management. Many high salaried Off
GERS and pets dropped from the pay
roll. No shortage of cars. Today,
when the north needs large numbers
of cars to move crops, thousands of
cars are idle on southern switches.
When the south must move her crops
and cars cannot be had, northern side
tracks are full of empties. Under one
management, person or car of freight
would go the shortest route, not the
longest as at present. Thus we see
there is nothing to be lost and much
to be gained under government owner
ship and operation of steam railways.
Naturally there will be two classes
who will oppose government owner
ship. The strongest of these are the
Eeneficiaries of the present system as
owners and large users of passes anu
discriminating freight rates. The 9TH
er class are more numerous and on
account of their environments. their
continuous struggle for an existence
they have not been out of the city
for years unless they walked, or have
not been outside the country for two
decades unless they rode out in farm
wagon. The argument of this class
will be, ooh, it's too cheap" The 9TH
ers-more interested-will say, "It
can't be done"
If private parties had always oper-
ated the United States mail service and
today were charging 10 cents to car
ry letter from Fort Fairfield Mo-, to
Portland, Ore. and someone would
suggest that under public operation
the same service could be furnished for
cent who would oppose such public