The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-10-05
BtvERl0GE FOR Gov
ERNMENT OWNERSHIP
He Makes a Strong Attack
on the Railroads.

STANDS very close u President EoOao-
velt. has something TO say. In
speech in Chicago on the night OF
September 22. Mr. Beveridge took up
the question OF regulation and control
Of railroad rates by the government.
Tie said that personally he was op.
posed to government ownership of the
railroads. but in his speech he went
as far along that line as Mr.. Bryan.
whose position has been. wilfully mis-
represented by large part of the
Republican press. In his Chicago
speech Senator Beveridge said:
III railway interference with the
peoples government is not stopped.
railway ownership by the peoples gov.
ernment may be compelled"
Mr.. Bryan has gone no further than
that He declares that he does not
favor government ownership except
as last resort and says that the
people will not want IL If regulation
shall prove to be effective But, like
Mr. Beveridge. he says that IL govern
ment ownership ever comes IL will be
forced by the refusal of the railroads
to submit 20 fair regulation.
Senator Beveridge. after making the
statement quoted above. speaking of
stock juggling. rebates and discrimi-
nations. said:
Therefore IL becomes necessary
that the PEOPLE whose savings are in
vested in these railways: the people
from whom the railways derive their
revenues; the people whom the rail
'!sD{s Y SER serve =, and 2 Keas< ssEge fhsiAil-
ways shouid have : voice 6 thefr !
management. So II Is necessary that
the railways whose rates are a tax
upon all the people. whose operations
directly AFFECT all the people. should
be controlled and regulated by the
government OF all the people.
A little further along in the same
speech, Senator Beveridge said:
let the railways attend to their
own business. just as every one OF
you is expected to attend to your own
business, and no man will speak of
government ownership. And their
business is not to nominate and elect
my public officer: their business is
lot to purchase. coerce. or influence
lis action.
Their business is to haul passen-
sers and freight and nothing else.
Ind 1t is that they shall attend TO IL
IS trustees of the people that the
abroad rate law was passed. the
sherman act was passed. and gener-
lily the foundation OF that system OF
government regulation laid OF which
hese laws are illustrations.
1T is better for the government OF
he people 70 interfere with the rail-
rays than for the railways to inter
ere with the government OF the peo-
lie Railway ownership is an evil so
ar reaching and profound that no
ian can foretell its dark results. But
ailway interference with free govern
rent Is also an evil which in the end
Ill prove destructive OF liberty be-
ause IL pollutes the ballot when the
copies representatives are chosen
nd the peoples legislature after their
representatives. are chosen"
OF the railroad in politics Senator
everfdse said that they "meddled too
UGH" that when they meddled at
] they meddled too much and that
hey meddled a great deal" and then
; added:
Every man who. by railroad infu-
ice. Is nominated to any Office. from
Unstable TO president. ought to be
'feated. no matter to what party he
'longs. The people have already be-
IN to defeat such men and will here
ter defeat them increasingly as
me goes on until the absolute use
ssness OF trying 10 control politics
u dawn on railway managers who
e that they have squandered the
oney paid out to accomplish plans
at an aroused and instructed people
-eck and destroy.
Criminal laws is the way to stop
EN-. Prison bars for corrupting rail-
ad lobbyists; prison bars for rail-
~ agents in primaries and conyen-
ms; prison bars for railway repre-
natives who try to influence the
mination and election OF senator.
ngressman. Judge, or any other pub
oficer-that is the way to stop
sm."
L will be seen from the above that
nator Beveridge, like President
osevelt, has given public utterance
views which. to say the least. are
sxtroms as any charged to Mr..