Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-28
Former Governor of IowaWrites
a Letter on Question of
Federal Supervision
THE SUBJECT ABLY DISCUSSED
Changing Conditions Have Brought
About the Need of Reform in the
Methods of Conducting the Highways
of Commerce in the United States
Text of tho Letter.
ao,,, - -,mes-r.nnblican.

Special to Times-Eepublicah.
Des Moines Dec 2S.-The article OF
Ex-Governor William Larrabee on the
question Of controlling railroad rates.
published in Wallace's Farmer, IS at
tracing much comment. 1t Is conslo-
cred a very able paper on the SUP
ject and generally meets the approVal
Of the shippers. 1t follows:
The shibboleth Of the last century,
competition, Is dying with that which
gave 1t birth. 1t was supposed TO De
adequate to any condition of social
action, but 1t has utterly failed IN
many respects to meet with expecta-
lions, and especially has 1t failed TO
secure reasonable management OF rail-
roads in the United States. Some
other remedy must be found. There
appears to be only two plainly IN
sight. One is strict government regu-
lation, and the other is government
ownership. If the former is not soon
made efficient, the latter Is inevitable
This is in opposition to our early train
ing. The laizzes-faire policy was be-
lieved to be the proper one, and SO
long as the country was new ana
sparsely settled, and fields abundant
for the active and ambitious to exploit
there was little danger in pursuing It,
but with a large and rapidly increasing
population, and the old fields OF ex-
ploitation largely exhausted, new
phases of social and industrial life
makes it more and more necessary Tor
government interference. to protect
the freedom and rights Of the indi-
vidual. and in spite Of our early train
ing and our prejudices, changes are
being forced upon us, and they can
not be resisted.
The whole history of civilization is
strewn with creeds and institutions
which were believed to be invaluable at
first, but afterwards found to be in
efficient and deadly. Formerly the
postoffice, the public school, ferries
toll roads and bridges, telegraph, tele-
phone, cabs, street cars, water, lights
and other public utilities We're all pri-
waite but now are largely managed OF
controlled by government authority.
The railroads can no longer be con-
sidered as private property 1t is a
public road and the operation Of it is a
public business and should be so treat
ed. The charges allowed for the sup
port of it is tax levied upon nearly
sumed by the people. This tax is now
levied at the command of less than a
score of irresponsible persons, and
they have unlimited and unrestricted
power for their own benefit. 1t is
taxation of all for the benefit of the
few. 1t is taxation without represen-
tation.
No other civilized or even half civil
lied country permits such tremendous
power of taxation to be exercised by
a handful of irresponsible persons
Nearly all foreign countries have
adopted government ownership or
management of railroads to a greater
or less extent. Their experience for
many years has proved it to be entire
ly practicable, and upon the whole
management. The service is superior
and equal to the public demand. The
permanent way of the state road is
kept in better condition, the public
safety, convenience, and general advan-
tage being paramount consideration.
Rates are stable and uniform, and all
persons and places are as equal before
the railroad tax collector as before
any other law. Passenger fares are
lower, many of them are the lowest in
the world, and freight rates are lower
than on roads managed by private
companies. The state eXpends from
15 to 80 per cent more for mainten-
ance of the road, and the rank and
file of the railroad employees fare on an
average better under government than
they do under private management,
and yet the financial reports show
much better results from the govern
ment roads. This will be denied by
those who are directly or indirectly in
terested In the present system, and by
those who have but little knowledge of
the subject, but no impartial person
can travel on the state managed roads
and have full knowledge concerning
them without coming to this same
conclusion. AS rule the government
roads do a large amount of graItuituous
service for the state. Mails are carried
free, troops and government stores are
and other service rendered
at nominal rates. Many millions of
dollars are annually saved to the state
In this way.
Some will be shocked and think the
statement wild but it is entirely safe
to say that If the government would
purchase the railroads at their original
cost to the stockholders they could be
maintained and operated by the gov
eminent with more efficient service
than at present at less than one-half
of their present income. Hundreds OF
millions of dollars could be annually
saved to the public by dispensing with
a horde of high priced officials and
their stats, by abolishing traffic or
CARNATIONS and kindred associations,
local offices, solicitors. advertising
agents, political henchmen, the pass
evil. commissions, attorneys fees, and
by consolidating depots, and by the
use of the shortest routes.
The property would be managed by
honest. capable and conscientious
men at reasonable salaries, and their
aim would always be to give the best
service possible for the lowest price
Officials would no longer be selected
and paid extraordinary salaries on &C
count of their ability to contrive ways
and means to increase their receipts
by evading the law. and by enforcing
the piratical rule, Of collecting what
the traffic will bear
Objections will be made that it Is
too great an undertaking, and that