The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-09-14
GOVERNMENT
OWNERSHIP
BRYAN WILL PROBABLY PUSH 1T.
STEP TOWARD IMPERIALISM.
slsmark Strengthened and Welded the
German Empire by Taking Over the
Railroads, and Using Their En-
ployes as a 5uIwark Against the
People.

Railroads, ana Using iheiF
ployes as a 5uIwark Against the
People.
WASHINGTON, Sept. s.-Mr. Bry-
an, having announced his advocacy OF
Government ownership and operation
ttof railroads, win doubtless do all in
his power to secure the Endorsement
Eof this doctrine by the,next Democrat
lie National Convention, and If ne
succeeds it will be the most Important
issue before the voters of the United
States. For this reason it is worth
while TO consider what would be some
of the effects of the adoption OF this
kpoIicy in the United States.
II would doubtless be hailed by the
Socialists as a first step in the direc-
tion of bringing about their ideal
the abolition of all private ownership
and the absorption by the Government
/, of the ownership of all property and
the direction of all activities. There
: would be some ground for this Social
: list view, but Mr.. Bryan's new policy
would tend much more strongly to-
word imperialism than toward Social
ism. In his Madison Square Garden
speech he cited several countries in
which. inis policy nov prevails. He
s does not seem to have been impress
ed by the significance of the fact that
L every one of these countries has an
e imperialistic form of Government.
Bismarck,s Scheme.
I A study Of the history OF the gov
y erumental railroad system OF Ger
e many would have shown Mr.. Bryan
Q that this was not mere coincidence
y II would have shown him that when
q Prince Bismarck had accomplished
what he had been striving for years &c
bring about and when the Prussiar
King had been crowned Emperor o.
! united Germany. the great imper
,aust5sg chancellor--the man OF blood
~ and iron-set about finding means
10 bind together the Empire that "a
baa created so that it would be aDi'
= N stand the stress of internal politica
on strains as we'll as to present nniee'
de front to foreign foes. The plan d
n aaonted was the Naturalization Q
lis the railroads. He bound the Empir
IN together with bands of steel. he CAV
es TO his imperial master devoted arm
on of railway employees, dependent upo
tbe central railway administrator
. IN Berlin for place and promotion an
ready at all times to support IN q
narts Of the Empire by their infiuenc
ana their votes the policy OF the In
nerial Government. He placed In %
I hands Of the central administrator
tbe mower to win votes In the lmperi'
] parliament by granting or withholdir
favorable freight rates that the 10
On eminent has not scrupled to use.
eh Source Of Revenue.
~. He gave the Emperor iruiti
" source Of revenue independent OF "a
IN alton. and the surplus revenues OF q
Y railroads are used for carrying Q
Imnerial policies. The net result n
been that the Government rallWa
= Germany have been just Wn
)U prince Bismarck intended them TO
hulwark against republicanism a
vas ! buttress to the Imperial throne.
der The institution of this system IN
JIG JIG United States would tend in the sal
rist direction. Including. as It logica
Mt womb. the telegraph service u wos
70 give the President a vast army
a;ls about 100000 Government employ
ura most of them voters and all OF IN
int highly disciplined and accustomed
,ow following the lead Of those IN auth
III III az over them. Each one of these n
two would be dependent on the Cove
our ment at washington for his emp
4 roaut and fnr his chances OF pro-
t;on. and an ambitious President, "
to such an army at his command
o,es with the power to adjust freight e
W w CO as to favor or coerce communi'
reat and industries, could control Congr'
i so -, c+ota and municipal electit
|, be lohai' s@ss h,s mower so absol
that he could not be overthrow.
q would be none the less Empe
- though he might bear the title
OOd President.
be- Daniel Sees the Danger.
kept sonotor naniel. of Virginia, real
: for e the danger to the Republic involve
hem the Government ownership pioi
'oap, 4;an In an interview on Mr.. Bry
.hree ''oA' a,,,toA ont that those
10th, speech ne poin'eu - The r,
jared ployed in the operation y -
a. / would combine to control CANDID
the and elections, and he feared