Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-13

Right here. let US recognize this fact:
Lincoln's party has always Stood and now
stands, for the fullest protection to all
policy Of his party, and hope II never will
be, TO destroy the security and the protec-
sHn pf rns yhe wBetsep # be TsISed s
or S0O,0000o0. No man who is sincere in
his respect for the rights of others would
ever advocate policy which would en-
danger the security of any class Of
The american people recognize the great
work the railroads have done toward the
development of the vast resources OF this
country. They give credit to the men
who had the courage to invest their money
continent with steel rails and building
great commercial highways across the
states Every community, whether large
have been built has profted; and there
cannot be found community. whether
little or big that will ever consent to the
impairment of the rights to which those
properties are entitled under the law.
On the other hand. 1t must be remem-
pered that the men who undertook 70
81 or laid a tie, or spiked rail, until
they first went to the government and
obtained from it a corporate franchise to
DO business. From the government they
obtained their license. BY the govern
ment they were created. This govern
mental charter which they asked and re-
ceived gave them the right OF eminent
domain-the power to take your property
or mine whether. .we-wilied 1t. or not, at
such compensation as the law might give.
With this charter granted they came 10
the communities. the townships, and the
villages through which they proposed TO
build the roads and asked the taxpayers
in those localities TO vote aid in the way
Of bonds. And the history of their appeal
in nine cases out OF ten were voted, and
after the bonds were voted the people
paid the necessary taxes TO redeem the
honda Some Of the corporations did not
They
government and asked for subsidies in the
way OF public lands. and some OF them
and these requests were likewise granted
by the federal government.
The result of all this is that today there
are in the United States over 10000 miles
OF railway-a mileage sufficient TO encircle
the earth more than eight times This mile
age has total stock issue Of more than
year ending June 30, 1904, according to the
roads themselves. almost 1900 0oo, 900 or SSls
per cent on the total stock issue, THIS iioa is
properties today in this country.
Right TO Regulate.
1t is hard TO understand how anybody
acquainted with these facts can deny TO
| the general government the right 10 super
service corporations should be permitted 70
charge for services. independently OF all
| statute the common law Is and always has
been that public service charges must be
| reasonable.
Let me say to you that in my judgment
there exists no sound or valid excuse for
| the war that is being forced upon the peo-
pie of this country by the managers OF
these great corporations; The public is
asking but justice, and when these railroad
| managers deny the right Of the govern
ment 20 protect the public against the in
| jury and wrong of eNtortionate rate
! when one is found to exist, they provoke
public alarm and invite public condemna-
| tiOn.
In this fight there is no neutral ground.
1 Every private citizen and every public ON
| Ger must stand up and be counted either
| for or against the power of the government
I TO deal with all men alike He must an
| swer the roll call in one army or the other.
| The proposition in principle is not a new
| one. II was embodied in the doctrine OF
| equal rights-the doctrine that Lincoln
| stood for-the doctrine that Roosevelt
| stands for, and that is the doctrine the
people will stand for until IL is permanently
| written in the law OF the land.