Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-10-19

Nv Inn N Elm l. NuCiohHP f
that government enterprise ought not to own and manage
NJ what INDIVIDUAL ENTERPRISE can own and
manage.
Government supervision is a recognition OF that Amer-
can principle and the application of its ccrolary that a business when
affects ALL THE PEOPLE should be REGULATED by the gov
eminent of all the people.
Government supervision leaves business in individual hands, putre-
on;rest that individual to act as a trustee for the people and thus PlE-
VENTS ARISES hurtful to the people. Government ownership
takes business out of the hands of the people and Substitutes Tor private
abuses of railway management, which government supervision cares,
bureaucratic abuses of railway management, which NOlHlNu oAN
CURE.
Government supervision leaves the making of rates, local and gen
eral, over u maze of 100000 miles Of railways in the hands Of men
who arr familiar with local and general conditions and have individual
interest in the successful management of particular roads, and yet gov
eminent supervision corrects those rates when they are UNJUST OK
OPPRESSIVE. Government ownership puts the making OF rates in
the hands of an enormous crowd Of government officials unfamiliar
with local and general conditions and without INDIVIDUAL IN
TEREST in the management of particular roads.
Government supervision leaves the system OF individual manage
ment. under which the country has been developed, but requires that
management to act as a trustee for the people. Government ownership
creates a vast machine so complicated that its workings would be cum
borsome. 20 great as to be endangered BY IT'S W WEIGHT.
Government supervision means the intelligence and conscience OF
the people laying their restraining hands on the WRONGS OF rail
way management. Government ownership means an American y
REAUCRACY as much greater than any other bureaucracy on eartn
as the American railway system IS a much greater than any he iaf
way system on earth.
We passed a law requiring the products of every manufacturer OF
medicine and food sold to the people to be INSPECTED by the gov-
eminent of the people. But that does not mean that the factories
which make the peoples food and medicine should be OWNED by
the peoples government. And yet if the making Of the peoples food
and medicine. which concerns the health and life of the people, ought
not to be owned by the peoples government, railroads, which AFFECT
only the BUSINESS of the people, should not be owned by the peo-
ples government. Government supervision naturally apphes to all
great industries affecting all the people. Government ownership could
not possibly apply to all great businesses which affect all the people.
If 1T COULD, WE WOULD IN A HUNDRED YEARS BEHOLD THE
GOVERNMENT DOING EVERYTHING AND THE INDIVIDUAL DOING
NOTHING.
Instead of doing business under government supervision we would
be doing business under government EMPLOY.
Instead of individual initiative we would have GOVEIsNMENl
INERTIA. Instead Of making profits as the owners and operators Il
legitimate industry, we would be earning salaries as the employees OF
GOVERNMENT industry.
INSTEAD OF THE GOVERNMENT BEING OUR SERVANT WE
WOULD BE THE GOVERNMENTS SERVANTS.