The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-10-11
GOVERNMENT
MUST DO ALE ].
ACCORDING TO Mr.. eRYAN's THE
DRY or GOVERNMENT OWN
ERsHIP OF RAILROADS.

WASHINGTON, Oct. II. - Each
speech made by Mr.. Bryan on his
proposition for the government own.
ership and operation Of railroads dis.
closes new weak points in his scheme.
At Raleigh, N. c., he attempted to put
his critics in the position Of advocat,
ing private monopoly instead Of the
governmental monopoly which he
would institute and indicated that he
favored the government taking the
railroads on the ground that they are
a public necessity.
The contention that the railroads are
monopolistlc in the sense that they
can and do exercise the power Of I'm.
posing exorbitant charges can not be
sustained, especially since the passage
Of the Hepburn law which imposes on
the road the burden OF proving that
any charge complained Of by ship
per and condemned by the Interstate
Commerce Commission is reasonable
and Just. Aside from this, however,
the transportation charges are limit
ed and controlled by the competition
of carriers, of markets, and Of produc-
Ing localities and this competition,
combined with the fact that a road
can only prosper If the shippers and
communities served by it prosper, tend
to keep charges down to h reasonable
and moderate level without any gov
ernmenta supervision.
Under government ownership and
operation, however, there would be a
complete monopoly. The roads would
then be managed by central admin
istratlon In Washington with no in
terest In endeavoring to develop to the
utmost the business of each locality,
though officials interested in certain
localities might look after their inter
ests at the expense Of the rest of the
country. That government operation
would be much more expensive than
that of the present corporation man.
agement Is shown by the fact that all
kinds of work carried on by the gov
eminent costs vastly more than simil.
ar work done by private corporations
or individuals. The result would inevi.
tably be an increase in charges, and
there would be no appeal from a gov
ernmentmde rate. No matter how
unreasonable 1t might be the shipper
or passenger would have TO pay 1t and
If private corporation should attempt
to compete at lower rates the strong
arm of the government would put 1t
out OF business just as express com.
panles are not allowed to carry let.
tiers though they could do it at less
than the government postal rates and
earn large profits.
Mr.. Bryan predicts that the country
will be brought to government owner
ship through the failure of regulation.
1t would be a safe prediction that af.
ter a short trial of his plan the coun.
try would prefer to return to private
ownership even without government
regulation
Mr. Bryun's argument that the1
roads should be taken by the govern
ment because they are public neces-
stiles is equally unfortunate because
if carried to its logical conclusion 1t
would involve pure socialism with the
government owning all property and
operating all industries. Land Is even
more of public necessity than a rail-
road and II the government should
own the railroad system Of the coun'
try on the ground that it is a public
necessity the same reason would re-
Quire the government to own all the
IuIluS dllu CDIlWuCl hIl IAS IhNHohA iS'
Of farming, mining and forestry. 1t
is more desirable that the people
should have food and clothing than
that they should ride in railroad cars
and Mr. Bryan's argument would re-
uuire the government to take charge
of the preparation of the products Of
the land for food and wear. In fact,
If government ownership and operation
is to be justified on the ground Of pub
lie necessity and applied to all neces-
sites there would be few lines of bus
mess left to private enterprise except
saloons, theaters, and opera houses.
You can say more. to more peoph
and for less money in the West Vir
ginian want column than through am
other medium. X cent word reacnei
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