The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-10-04

industry. / am for the American theory
and against the European theory. Let Eu-
rope copy America, not America copy
Europe. Government control of railways,
but not government ownership of rail-
ways.
The utmost faith Is therein implied
that this country can regulate railways
and other corporations and eliminate
the abuses complained of. When that
is accomplished, or when it is demon
strated that II can be accomplished. we
assume that not even Bryan will hold
fast to his theory of government own
ership; until it shall be demonstrated
that it cannot be accomplished, the peo-
pie of this country are not going to
stampede for Bryan and for the new
BryaDesque doctrine. They have been
attracted by the brilliancy of his cleo
trio oratory before only to discover that
be was leading them into dangerous
md untrod bypaths. far from the high
way o. sane and conservative action.
Thu. Senator discussed the develop
ment OF American industries from the
individual to the combination stage, the
growing needs of the country making it
imperative that men join capital and
brains to meet the increased demand
But still the control remains with the
people. We talk of millionaires and
multi-millionaires as being in absolute
possession OF large corporations, and
yet it is fact that % per cent of the
stock and bonds of these mammoth en-
terprises is held by hundreds of thou
sands of people. I, they will. they can
see to it that the government exercises
reasonable supervision over the trustees
who are managing their property. For
Senator Beveridge says:
Government supervision means the in
telligence and conscience of the people
laying their restraining hands on the
wrongs of railway management; govern
ment ownership means an American bu-
reaucracy as mach greater than any other
bureaucracy on earth as the American
railway system Is as much greater than
any other railway system on earth.
Those who advocate government own
ership admit that private management is
NOR efficient. admit that American rail
way service is the best railway service in
the world. But they say that the gov
eminent wnership is the only way of
keeping tie railways out of politics. 1t
is true tb 1t the railways NEEDLE too much
in polite. When they NEEDLE at all they
NEEDLE to much. and they NEEDLE great
deal. But government ownership is not
the way to stop them.
Criminal laws is the way to stop them.
Prison bars for corrupting railroad lob
byists; prison bars for railway agents in
primaries and conventions; prison liars
for railway representatives who Try to
influence the nomination and election of
Senator, Congressman. judge or any other
public offieer-that is the way to stop
them.
Let the railways attend to their own
business just "a every one of you is ex-
pected to attend to his own business, and
no man will speak of government owner
ship. And their business is not to nomi-
nate and elect any public 1ficer; their
business is not to purchase, coerce or in
fluence his action. Their business is to
haul passengers and FIRE ght, and nothing
else.
We are curious to lear Bryan's re-
ply to that argument IL 1t Is not truly
American in every line of it then we
mistake the Senator's meaning. If it
doesn't breathe of courage and hopeful
ness, then we fail utterly to give 1t
correst analysis.-Toiedo Blade.