Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-09-19
.BRYAN'S PLAN is
OPPOSED BY BACON
Democratic Senate Leader Op.
poses Government Ownership.
SAYS GRAFTERs WOULD RULE
Bacon Declares that If Government
Should Take over Railway Lines
Paradise for Grafters Would Be
Created-Plan Not Practicable.


Paradise for Grafters Would Be
Created-Plan Not Practicable.
Washington, D. c., Sept. 18.-Sena-
tor A o. Bacon, of Georgia, has
spoken emphatically in omosition to
the railroad ownership plan advocated
by William Bryan. The Democratic
leader of the senate expressed his
views while passing through Washing
ton enroute to Atlantic City, where he
Will take a rest.
Il am not in favor of the govern
ment ownership of railroads by the
United States government" said Sen
ator Bacon. In its practical opera
tons it would be paternalistic social
ISM l can think of a score of strong
and sufficient reasons against it, and
scarcely one good reason for ft-cer-
tainly not one that is not counterbal-
anced in ten-fold degree by the evils
which it would entail"
Asked some of the reasons against
railroad ownership, Senator Bacon re-
marked:
1T would be impracticable for the
government to maintain and operate
225,O00 miles Of railroad economical
ly and honestly and build new lines
that would be required as well 1t
would present the most inviting and
unlimited field for graft and thievery
| the world ever saw
'The gOvernment-ownership, main
tenance, and operation of the railways
of the United States would constitute
a political machine the reach and re-
sistless power of which cannot be
realized or even conceived of; and if it
is within the power Of money to cor
| ru9t our people. that machine would
be controlled by the army of grafters
and thieves who would be in the plum
dertng business" he declared
The business interests of a com
munity or even of a whole section,
would be but 90 many pawns in the po-
Utica! came to be sacrificed at will ir
the interest Of the players. And aside
from business interests which would
J
passenger transporta ion in the sever
! al states by a political party or polit-
| ical machine would render conditions
in some sections Of the country absO-
iutely intolerable, and when this is
properly understood and appreciated,
government ownership of railroads,
involving such political control of pas
| senger transportation, will have no
friends in such communities, and espe-
cially in the south.
1.-The suggestion that the general
government shall own the trunk lines
and that the state shall own the local
lines, l do not regard as practical.
Shall business with some railroads in
a state be controlled exclusively by
laws enacted by congress, while the
same kind of business with other rail
roads in the same state is to be con
trolled by laws enacted by the legis-
lature of that state? Who is to de-
termine what are trunk lines? And
when a local line grows in importance
will the general government classify
IL 6lo d u 1tIh lIiIG anu dIDIjEdIllY take
it away from the state? How will
business men know where they are at
in dealing with railways under a du-
al administration Of the same?
Il believe that the recently enacted
rate law, and the previous enactment
| known as the Elkins law, will control
the railroads. If experience shows
defects in such laws, there will be
supplemental Legislation to cure them.
Until in practical operation such de-
fects are shown, there is no call for
the agitation of the question of gov
ernment ownership. I am frank to
say that have no fear that the Amer
lean people will decide in favor of
government ownership of the rail
ways. On the contrary, l have no
doubt they will overthrow any polit-
ical party that advocates it. It is
unfortunate if there is basis for the
charge that any political party favors
it."