New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-30

lions now owning these public services
have debauched governors and mayors. legislat-
ors. aldermen and Oficials by means OF bribery
thereby fostering administrative venality and
dishonesty. q remains 20 be seen whether there
viii be any advantage 70 the people in trans
terring the control OF these public services from
the bribers TO the bribed. that is TO say. from
the corporations to the authorities Too often
municipal. state ana even federal departments
here. as well as abroad. are run more with the
object OF furnishing fat Offices 20 political friends
and Rdherents than with any regard TO the pup
No veal. Indeed. there are few even OF the
Wealthiest corporations that could anoro 10
manage their business with such an utter as
regard OF the profit and loss account as many
government departments are administered
added 20 which Il must not be Forgotten mat
every fresh acquisition by the municipality OF q
public service previously owned by corpora
ton means the increase OF the places at us
disposal. the corresponding growth In the num-
Der OF its paid adherents and supporters ana the
CONSEQUENT difficulty Of dislodging the political
party IN ONCE.
In Europe many OF the governments IN une'F
endeavors 20 tack TO the windward OF socialism
have inaugu aied the policy OF state o"heisii'P
OF the railroads Italy last week enacted 10"
taking over ell the railroads Of the Kihsooil
In France some are owned by the government
and others by private companies the chataote.S
Of which however, vest the eventual owner snip
OF the roads in the state. In Germany nearly '"'
whole OF the railroads belong either to the an
,arisr ar 10 the state governments. The same
ching Il the case in Holland and in most OF the
other smaller countries Of Europe. In Austria
about half the railroads are owned by the sla1e
and bale bv companies. and n similar condiuOn
~ affairs prevails in Russia and in Belgium
And nearly everywhere il is found that the ser
vice Of the railroads owned by corporations Is
superior 10 those belonging 10 the state Whhe ti'e
fares OF the latter are in no sense INFERIOR 10
those OF the companies. In Germany where
less than 1000 miles OF the $4,000 miles OF rail-
road are privately owned. ne comparison Is pos
sible But the absence OF competition ana the
preference manifested on all occasions by the
state MANAGEMENT for military necessities at
the expense of passenger and merchandise traf-
nc. renders Il a matter Of doubt as TO whether
the people would not be better of If the rail-
roa ds had remained in private hands.
In England. where there are so many lines OF
railroads running more less parallel TO one
another, a healthy competition is produced by
means OF which the people benefit both in the
excellence OF service and IN the cheapness OF
fares and rates. advantages which would as
appear along with the competition were the
state 10 acquire possession OF the railroads. ana
the same thing would occur in this country
were the federal government to control the
railroads For it is difficult 10 see how the pub
lie ownership OF railroads could be vested IN any
other hands than those OF the national govern |
u,ent IL taken from the corporations. since II |
would be obviously impossible for single State |
70 assume possession OF road. such as, for IN |
stance. the New-York Central or the Pennsyl- |
vsnia system, which extends far beyond Its |
borders. sometimes over several other States.
In England and in France the governments |
have assumed possession of the telephone serv-
ices which are less efficient now and not any
ebeaper than formerly. France, Italy and Aus
tria have converted the tobacco trade into gov
ernment rnonopoles; Russia has done the same
with LIQUOR. ana England has under discussion
AZ the present moment Joseph Chamberlain
project for old age pensions and insurance OF
the working classes, based on the lines OF laws
Of this kind that are already in existence IN
Germany and that their origin there to
the late Prince Bismarck and Emperor William
Indeed. nowhere has that particular form OF
socialism consisting In state ownership OF public
services ana OF natural monopolies made such
headway as in Germany. That il has not, how
ever. arrested the growth OF socialism is best
shown by the fact that there are according to
the latest electoral returns. no fewer than 30OO-
O0O socialist voters in the dominions Of the
Kaiser EX-ATTACHE-