The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-30

vised by some that the business of the
United States government is to con-
struct the canal. and that the railroad
should be used simply as a construc-
ton road for the purpose of doing the
work that it is necessary for a railroad
to do in the enterprise of constructing
the canal; that 1t is no part of the
business of our government to con-
duct or operate a commercial railroad
or steamship line; that it is not the
ment should act for it to enter into
competition with its own citizens in
the transportation business; that is, in
handling commercial freight.
There are men who advocate, or
who believe, and who have so advised
the secretary of war, that since there
was a certain commercial business be-
ing transacted by the Panama. Railroad
purchased the property, it IS the duty
Of the government to maintain the COM
merciai business which this road was
doing at the time it was acquired, so
that the route Of commerce which was
opened at that time should not be closed
but should be maintained as it existed;
but since it has been the policy of our
government to operate a transportation
company there should be no further in
crease in the facilities of the road for
commercial business and that the bust
ness which it has and the facilities
which it has should be maintained, but
that all the other energy should be d.
rected in it's use for the construction
of the canal.
Then there are those who believe
to put it as they do-that the United
States government is constructing this
canal as a. great enterprise for the ben
eftyof commerce; that this railroad, IN
a measure, occupies the position which
the canal is to occupy after it is con-
structed, in SO far as its relation TO the
commercial world is concerned; that it
owns this railroad. to increase its ia
cilities so that it can handle efficiently
all the commerce that is offered; in 9TH
er words, to make il as efficient as it
is possible to make a transcontinental
railroad. Those are the three views
that have been advanced as to these
various opinions.
las to the steamship line that is
now being operated from Colon to
New York there are those who con-
tend that it is not the business of the
government to operate a steamship
line; that the ocean is a highway free
to commerce; that private enterprise
will organize steamship companies for
and that our government should not
conduct a steamship line in COMPETE
ion with its own citizens
There are others who believe that,
since this line is estab lished and since
he United States government will
nave a great deal of its own freight
o transport from the United States
% the Isthmus of Panama it should
-etain the steamship line and continue
% operate it to handle its own bust
less. but since it has the line in oper-
ltion. and since it has been esta blish-
ID as a commercial line. it ought to
continue its commercial facilities and
continue to transact commercial
business and that it even ought to en-
arge its facilities and improve them
or the handling of increased com
nerce which they think will be
brought to this line as a result of the
construction of the canal. One party !
inc; another party advocates the pur-
'hasing of other ships and the con-
tructiOn of larger ones"