The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-11-11

service is now in the hands of the government. There is very noticeable growth in the government ownership of railroads. Many years ago, the gov ernment ownership of railroads was tested in various European nations, and the tendency toward the exten- sion of government mileage and the diminution of the mileage of privately owned roads has been constant. In some countries there is still competi- tion between the government and the lines owned by private corporations, but experience leaves no doubt that the lines owned by the government will ultimately supplant the roads in private hands. Switzerland has with in four years purchased the main rail- road system within her territory; Ja pan has within a year extended the government railroads by purchasing some of the roads in private hands, and the Indian government is plann- ing to absorb more of the privately owned lines. In France a number of the railroads hold fifty year charters which have now more than half ex- pired, and which provide for the sur render of the lines to the government at the end of that period-the govern ment in the meantime guaranteeing a fixed interest and an annual contribu- tion to the sinking fund.
 W nllb lOCdt TRANSFORMATIONS anu lOCdl conditions have much to do in the de- termination of each case, there is one general principle which is becoming more and more clearly outlined as the question of government ownership is discussed, namely, tEat when a monop- oly becomes necessary 1t must be gov ernment monoply and not monopoly in private hands. In other words the principle now most familiarly applied | fo sfCArrnnffffnF1 kyyhnra Pnunnnfiffnn q possible; government monopoly where competition is impossible" I have not the space for the discussion of details; many different methods have been em- | ployed in different countries for the acquiring of private plants by the city or State, and different methods have been employed in different countries for the elimination of the political ele- ment from public service. Those who have faith in the intelligence and ca pacity of the peole have confidence l that they will be able to reduce to a minimum any dangers attendant upon a course which they believe to be ne cessary to their own welfare. The
 fact that after more than a quarter
 of a century of experience, no retro
 grade movement is to be observed fur nishes some proof that the dangers anticipated have not in practice been shown to be insurmountable.
 Another world problem is to be
 found in the effort to fix woman's place in the social economy. No one can travel around the world without
 noting the wide difference that ex- ists between the treatment of women | in different countries. In the orient woman has, until comparatively recent years, occupied q very inferior posi- ton. In no respect has the influence of the west upon the east been more marked than in the elevation of wo- man. Even in Japan, where for half a century the ideas of America and
 Europe have found vigorous growth
 woman's position is not yet equal tC mans. The education of boys received attention before the education of the
 girls, but the girls schools are now multiplying in number and attendance
 Travelling in the country one still seer the biackened teeth it formerly hay.
 ing been regarded as the proper thing