Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-10-04

industry. / am for the American theory
and against the European theory. Let Eu-
rope copy America, not America copy
Europe. Government control of railways,
but not government ownership of rail
ways.
The utmost faith is therein implied
that this country can regulate railways
and other corporations and eliminate
the abuses complained of. When that
is accomplished, or when it is demon
strated that it can be accomplished. we
assume that not even Bryan will hold
fast to his theory of government own
erShip; until it shall be demonstrated
that it cannot be accomplished the peo-
pie of this country are not going to
stampede for Bryan and for the new
Bryanesque doctrine. They have been
attracted by the brilliancy of his cleo
trio oratory before only to discover that
he was leading them into dangerous
and untrod bypaths, far from the high
way of sane and conservative action.
The Senator discussed the develop
ment of American industr IS from the
individual to the combina lion stage. the
growing needs of the country making it
imperative that men join capital and
brains to meet the increased demand.
But still the control remains with the
people. We talk of millionaires and
multi-millionaires as being in absolute
possession of large corporations, and
yet it is a fact that 10 per cent of the
stock and bonds of these mammoth en-
terprises is held by hundreds of thou
sands of people If they will, they can
see to it that the government exercises
reasonable supervision over the trustees
who are managing their property For
Senator Beverage says:
Government supervision means the in
telligence and conscience of the people
laying their restraining hands on the
wrongs Of railway management; govern
ment ownership means an American bu-
reaucracy as much greater thar any other
bureaucracy on earth as the American
railway system is as much greater than
any other railway system on earth.
Those who advocate government own
ership admit that private management is
more efficient, admit that American rail
way service>is the best railway service in
the world. But they say that the gov
eminent ownership is the only way of
keeping the railways out of politics. It
is true that the railways NEEDLE too much
in politics. When they meddle Mt all they
NEEDLE TOO much. and they fneddle a great
deal. But government ownership is not
the way TO stop them.
Criminal laws is the way to stop them
Prison bars for corrupting railroad lob
byists: prison bars for railway agents in
primaries and conventions; prison bars
for railway representatives who try to
influence the nomination and election of
Senator, Congressman. judge or any other
public officer-that is the way to stop
them.
Let the railways attend to their own |
business just as every one Of you is ex- |
pected to attend to his own business, and |
no man will speak of government owner |
ship. And their business is not to nomi- |
nate and elect any public officer: their |
business is not to purchase, coerce or in |
fuence his action. Their business is TO |
haul passengers and freight, and nothing
else.
We are curious to hear Bryan's re- |
ply to that argument. If it is not truly |
American in every line Of it then we
mistake the Senator's meaning. If il |
doesn't breathe of courage and hopeful |
ness, then we fail utterly 70 give it a |
correst ySis.-Tolede Blade.