The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-09-18
DAILY MORNING NEWS.
REGARDING 1T SERIOUSLY.

lously ahan some OF the other organs
of the Republican party. The News
is of the opinion that the article re-
, fleets the views of Warren Russell,
the well known business man of that
city. Under the head of What Will
Mr. Welty Say?' it proceeds to de-
liver a lecture to the Republicans as
follows:
1--WE are somewhat curious to know
what Mr.. Welty, the esteemed candi-
date for congress on the Democratic
ticket in this district will have to say
about Mr.. Bryans proposal that this
government acquire and operate the
railroads of this country If elected
would he go to congress and there,
casting behind him all his conserva-
tive associations and natural tenden-
cies, openly advocate a wholesale eX
pertinent in state socialism; or would
he range himself with Mr.. Roosevelt
and the Republican majority in favor
of private ownership and effective
public control? We ourselves are alb
solutely convinced that government
ownership of all the railroads is unde-
sirable, not at all because the people
of these United States are unequal to
the task of operating railroads, but
because it is unnecessary that they
should undertake it. 1t is rather a mis-
take on the part of those who combat
Mr. Bryan's opinions to urge so insis-
tently that we cannot, in this country,
own and operate railroads as well as
people in other countries. The Inde-
pendent does not place so low an esti-
mate upon the capacity of it's country
men. If we really want to do So we
can build and operate railroads as well
as we can manage our postofices.
With all its defects, there is prob
ably no better business organization
in the United States than this govern
ment. 1t constructs warships. it
erects public buildings, it surveys the
high seas and rivers, it builds dams
docks and ports and not only does it
do these things well, but it does them
better from year to year . 1t does
time a training school from which is
graduated large armies of skilled bus
mess men, learned scientists and cap
able engineers. 1t can command more
over, better talent for less money
than any other business concern in the
country. Is it possible that we have
opponents of Mr.. Bryan who see any
thing in railroad so complicated that
our government could not rise to the
responsibility of railroad manage
ment? Neither do we believe that
public ownership of the transportation
lines would perpetuate a political die
tatorship. The men running govern
ment trains would be the same men
now running private trains, and they
would vote as they now vote, accord |
ing to their individual bias and not
otherwise.
"lf government ownership ever be-
comes an active political issue the
question should be resolved on the
broad ground of eXpediency. For one
part we do not believe in public own
ership very much for the same reason !
that successful manufacturer OF iron
pipe might hesitate about embarking |
in the manufacture Of steel rails; he |
would hesitate because a man or a
company can usually do one thing
much better and more proitably than
many things. Yet we know that some
great and exceptional companies can
oil 4
products with signal success.
So long as private ownership by
the railroads works fairly well, and
it can not be said now that it does
not, there will be no general demand
for public ownership. We are getting
away from the pioneer period of our
railroad history, we are getting away
froJ the period of sharp financial
practice, and we are advancing to-
point where railroad values are fair
Jy ascertained and where dividends
represent actual business conditions. !
Under these circumstances we are
willing to invest our surplus earn
ings in railroad stocks with a feeling
that we shall get our just dues. These
being the facts we are rapidly getting
popular ownership of the railroads
which will eventually amount to pub
lie ownership in all but form. AS
these conditions become more pro-
nounced, the great names in railroad
management will become more and
more responsive to a great body of
stockholders and to public opinion.
Thus by wholly natural processes we
may anticipate such a dispersion of
railroad ownership as to realize pub
lie ownership without its disadyan-
tages.
The best reply 10 demand for
public ownership of public utilities win
Lr. nRfnnlirrr. ..cr.,ril.l. hIrofA ~ 10