The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1906-09-08

the principle embodied In the proteCt
, I've tariff has been the fruitful source
of . great deal Of political corruption
as well as the support Of many OF our
most Ubiquitous trusts. It Ia dlfiicult
to condemn the manufacturers for
uniting to take advantage of high
tariff schedule when the schedule is
framed ON the theory that the indus.
triespeed all the protection given. and
It Is not likely that the benedciaries OF
these schedules will consent to their
reduction 90 long as the public waits
for the tariff to be reformed by its
friends
The railroad question Is also inter
woven with the trust question. Nearly
al the private monopolies have re-
ceived rebates or secured other ad.
vantages over competitors. Absolute
equality of treatment at the hands OF
the railroads would go far toward
gripping the trusts and rejoice that
the president has had the courage to
press the question upon congress.
While the law as 1t was finally distort'
ed by the senate Is not all that could
be wished. 1t deserves fair trial.
Rate regulation was absolutely nec-
essary in that It furnishes some relief
from the unbearable conditions which
have existed. but we must not forget
that the vesting of this enormous
power in the hands of the commits.
sion appointed by the president intro
duces a new danger. II an appointive
board has the power to fix rates, and
can. by the exercise of power or de-
cree. hundreds of millions of dol
lars. the annual revenues of the
railroads. win. not the railroads
feel that they have large Pc
cuniary interest in the election OF
president friendly to the rail-
roadsi Experience has demonstrated
that municipal corruption Is largely
traceable to the fact that franchise
corporations desire to control the city
council and thus increase their divi-
dends. II their managers adopt the
same policy, sentiment In favor Of
ownership Of the railroads by the gov
eminent is likely to increase as rapidly
throughout the country as the senti-
ment In favsr Of municipal ownership
has increased In the cities.
have already reached the conclu-
sion that railroads partake so much Of
the nature of a monopoly that they
must ultimately, become public prop
erty and be managed by public officials
in the interests Of the whole ccmmu-
nifty in accordance with the well de-
fined theory that public ownership is
necessary where competition is impos-
sible. / do not know that the country
Is ready for this legislation. do not
know that majority Of my own party
favors 1t. but believe that an increas-
ing number Of the members OF all par
ties see in public ownership the sure
remedy for Determinations between
persons and politics and for the extor-
, tionate rates for the carrying OF
freight and passengers.
Believing. however. that the opera.
ton of the railroads by the Federal
government would result in central
fzation which would all but obiiterafe
state lines, prefer to see only the
trunk lines operated BY the Federal
government and the local lines BY the
several state governments.
Some have opposed this dual owner
ship as impractical but investigation
In Europe has convinced me that II Is
entirely practical. Nearly all the rail-
roads Of Germany are owned by the
several states. the empire not even
owning the trunk lines. and yet the
Interstate traffic II in no Wise OBJ
structed In travelling from Constap-
tfnople to Vienna. one passes through
Turkey. Bulgaria. Servia, Hungary and
Z part Of Austria without a change nj
cars. and yet the country owns and
operated its own roads and different
languages are spoken on the different
divisions Of the line Sweden and Nor
way each owns Its railroads. hut they
have no trouble about Interstate traf-
lie. although their relations are some-
- - H. - ~ H. urx1
operation of the local lines Of the sew
erai state governments 10 not only
feasible. but II SUITS itself to the con-
difions existing In the various states.
In these states where the people AFRO
ripe for change, the local lines can be
purchased or new lines be built at once.
while private ownership can continue IN
those states in which the people still
prefer private ownership. Some states
have been more successful than others
in preventing the watering Of stocks
and In the acquiring OF roads. each
state can act according to the situation
which IL has to meet.
As to the right OF the governments.
and state to own and operate railroads.
there can be no doubt II we can deep
en- the water in the lakes and build
canals to cheaper railroad transporta-
ton during half Of the year we can
build a railroad and cheaper the rates
the WuOtS OK' Inc year, u we C4n Spcuo
several hundreds Of millions on the
Panama canal to lower trans continent
fal rates. we can bud q railroad from
New York to San Francisco to lower
both trans-continental and local rates.
The United States mail is increasing so
rapidly that we shall soon be 6nle tn
pay the interest on The cost Of the
trunk lines out Of the money which we
now pay to railroads for carrying
through malls.
II any Of you question the propriety
of my mentioning this subject beg
20 remind you that the president could
not have secured the passage Of the
rate bill had he not appealed to the fear
Of the more radical remedy NJ govern
ment ownership and nothing will 30
restrain the railroad magnates from
attempting to capture the interstate
commerce commission as the same
fear The high-handed manner in
which they have violated law and
ignored authority. together with the
corruption discovered on hi~t pleces.
has done. more to create. sentiment in
favor Of public ownership than all tH3
speeches and arguments Of the oppon-
ents of private ownership.
have referred to the railroad ques
ton as a part OF the trust question.
Because they are 50 Interviewer that
II II difficult to consider one without