The Cairo bulletin., 1904-12-17
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP.

Has President Roosevelt been con
yerted to the doctrine OF government
ownership OF railroads?
That is The latest bit of GOSSIP
emanating from Washington, and i
Is said that many congressman be
ieve that the chief executive is al
least leaning strongly in that direc-
ton. The ground for the belief is
said TO be that part Of the president
message which says
The government must in increas-
ing degree, supervise and regulate
The working OF the railways engaged
in interstate commerce. and such in
creased supervision is the only al
Tentative to an increase of the pres.
ent evils on the one hand, or a still
more radical policy on the other.
The still more radical policy is
taken to mean federal ownership.
Whether the president. in his study
Of the railroad question and his con
sequent anger at the outrageous ex
actions and inequalities of their
freight rates and rebates. has reach
ed such a radical conclusion. cannot.
0f course. be known. bur his deer
mined stand thar the railroad greed
shall be checked by some sort Of
means Is the most welcome thing Ii
has done and Is bound 10 win hin
increased popularity with the people
Certainly nothing is more imporJan
than this work. and If the presiden
succeeds in finding some solution o.
the question at this session of con
gress it will be a GROWING work. an
even Democrats win agree that the
tariff can wen afford to wait another
year
This is a nonpartisan question and |
the Democratic members in congress |
should and doubtless will join hands !
With the president in the fight. Il is
% be earnestly hoped by all elasse.
and political parties that some ef
fectiye remedy may be applied b,
the law-making power toward check |
ing this grievous evil
There is no likelihood that the pre-
ent agitation will extend to such
radical measure as government own.
srship. The railroads viii become
mighty meek before they will let tina
question get too far.
The doctrine Of federal ownership Ii /
Populistic also Socialist. though the /
former, as we remember originated /
i. But of recent years It has grown
largely with the voters of other par /
lies. until today there are thousand, +
of voters in both the Democratic and |
Republican parties who have become |
converted 10 il. and some Of the clos /
est students Of political economy are
coming to look favorably upon ii.
Merely because 1t is Populistic
Doesn't make 1t a bad doctrine
hough il is about the only thing the
Populists urge that is not bad Al
eforms however, must have a start
md not infrequently the initial agi :
alton begins with some of the small
er political parties Apropos. it is
remembered that the father of the
rurar free delivery system-which
has reyolutionized country fife and
made the farmer almost city man
vas the late Populist candidate for
the presidency, Thomas E, Watson
1t is urged in its behalf that If the t
government can operate the mail sys
TEN of the country at equal expense
o the rich and the poor why can il
not also operate the railways the
same way, charging the least pos
sible rate 10 maintain the system?
This is only one line of the argument
advanced for the doctrine
II is great big question and one
which seems to be growing largely
in the minds of the people.