The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-09-24

all. the government shonld NOT
! own any Industry which private en-.
terprise q emciently manage and.
whose abuses government regulation.
can pFey
ptHerence In Theories.
Government ownership of nation,
wide business is the European theory
OF industry. Government regulation
of nationwide business is the Ameri.
can theory. l am for the american
theory, against the European theory.
tLet Europe copy America, not Aneri-
lea Europe. Government control of
the railroads, but not government
ownership of the railroads. The day
was when individuals could do the
business of communities. Now moth
ling but great combinations of capital
could answer the needs Of the masses.
Because one man car no longer deal
with another, but vast corporations
with millions of men, these corpora
tions became public servants. Every
manager of every industry which,
touches all the people, is no longer an
individual dealing with another, is
a statesman of affairs, dealing with
the nation. He is a trustee managing
a great business for the peoples well
fare as we'll as his own.
Organizations Necessary.
"These great organizations came
because they were necessary, because
they are necessary; on principle they
are good. 1t is that they shall be as
good in practice as in theory that gov
eminent control comes into play
government regulation, but not gov
eminent destruction; government reg
ulation. but not government n
ship unless regulation fails.
Government regulation will never
be felt by managers Of great enter
prises. who conduct great business
and as trustees of the people, just as
criminal laws are not felt by the citi-
zen who attends to his duties. Just
as old methods of private business
would be utterly inadequate in the
new condttion1so the old principles of
arbitrary private management is ut.
terly inapplicable to the new meth
DDS.
"The railway rate law pdssed by
the present congress may not be very
effective at the beginning; and that
is not important, o # it will be emec.
tive In the end. The Important thing
is that for the first time n our his
tory the railroad rata law puts into
practical operation, the principle Of
government control of railways.
Regulation Only Begun.
"Ehy talk of government owner
shin when government regulation is
only begun. American theories have
suited American conditions In the
past. Let us trust American theories
In the future. Let lis Americans go
on building our own free institutions
OF our W models and teach man
kind that law-regulated liberty is not
only for government but best
for business and best for life. Govern
ment ownership violates the Amert-
can principle that government enter
prise ought not to own and manage
what Individual enterprise can own
n manage. Government seupervi-
zion e the Intelligence and con
science 1T the people laying their re-
straining hands on the wrongs of rail-
ways; government ownership means
an American bureaucracy as much
greater than any other bureaucracy on
earth as the American railway sys.
tenn is as much greater than any 9TH
~ railway svstem On earth
"Those who advocate government
ownership say that 1t is the only way
OF keeping the railways out OF poll
tics. Criminal law is the way to stop
them. Prison bars for corrupt1ng
railroad lobbyists; prison bars for
railway agents in primaries and COM
ventions; prison bars for railway
representatives who trytt to influence
the domination and election senator.
congressman, Judge or any other pub
lie Officers
go. annIS