Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-11-12
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
As DISCUSSED BY PRESIDENT
ROOSEvELT'S MESSAGES.
Government Must Sometimes Super
wise und Regulate the Workings
of Railroads and Other Public Con-
veyanCeS Engaged in Interstate
Commerce.

In his message in December, 1904,
President Roosevelt said:
"The government must, in increasing
degree. supervise and regulate the work.
ings OF the railways engaged in interstate
commerce, and such increased supervis.
ION is the only alternative to an increase
of the present evils on the one hand or
still more radical policy on the other"
President Roosevelt, in the annual
message which he sent to congress at tt
beginning of the session recently ended,
said:
"The question of transportation lies at
the root of all industrial success, and the
revolution in transportation which has
taken place during the last half century
has been the most important factor in
the growth OF the new Industrial condi.
tions. Most emphatically we do not
wish to see the man of great talents re-
fused the reward for his talents. Still
less do we wish to see him penaized !;
but we do desire to see the system of
railroad transportation so handled that
the strong man shall be given no advan-
tage over the weak man. We wish to
insure as fair treatment for the small
town as for the big city; for the small
shipper as for the big shipper. In the
old days the highway of commerce,
whether by water or by road on land,
was open to all; it belonged to the pub
lie and the traffic along it was free. At
present the railway is that highway, and
we must do our best to see that it is kept
open to all on equal terms. Unlike the
old 1ighway, It is' ~ very difficult and
complex thing to manage, and it is far
better that it should be managed by pri-
vate individuals than by the government.
But it can only be 80 managed on condi-
tion that justice is done the public. 1t
is because. in my judgment, public
ownership of railroads is highly unde-
srable and would probably in this coun-
try entail far-reaching disaster. that 1
wish to see such supervision and reguIa-
tion of them in the interest of the public
as will make it evident that there is no
need ior public ownership. The oppo-
nents of government regulation dwell
upon the difficulties to be encountered
and the intricate and involved nature Of
the problem. Their contention is true.
1t is a complicated and delicate problem,
and all kinds of difficulties are sure to
arise in connection with any plan of
solution, while no plan will bring all the
benefits hoped for by its more optimistic
adherents. Moreover, under any healthy
plan, the benefits will develop gradually
and not rapidly. Finally, we must clear
ly understand that the public servants
who are to do this peculiarly responsible
and delicate work must themselves be OF
the highest type both as regards integri-
ty and efficiency. They must be we'll
paid, for otherwise able men cannot in
the long run be secured; aud they must
possess lofty probity which will revolt
as quickly at the thought OF panderng
to any gust Of popular prejudice against
rich men as at the thought OF anything
even remotely resembling subserviency
to rich men. But while l fully admit
the difficulties in this way, do not for
moment admit that these difficulties
warrant us in stopping in our efforts to
secure wise and just system. They
should have no other effect than to spur
us on to the exercise OF the resolution,
the even-handed justice, and the fertility
OF resource, which we like to think as
typically American, and which will in
the end achieve good results in this as in
other fields OF activity. The task is great
one and underlies the task of dealing
with the whole industrial problem. Bnt
the fact that it is great problem does
not warrant us in shrinking from the at
tempt to solve it. At present we face
such utter lack OF supervision, such free
dom from the restraints of law, that ex.
cellent men have often been literally
forced into doing what they deplored be.
cause otherwise they were left at the
mercy of unscrupulous competitors. To
rail at and assail thelmen who have done
as they best could under such conditions
accomplishes little. What we need to do
is to develop an orderly system; and
such system can only come through
the gradually increased exercise Of the
right of efficient government CONTROL"
President Roosevelt, in a message de.
livered to congress on May 4, said:
"But in addition to these secret rates
the Standard Oil profits immensely by
open rates, which are so arranged as to