The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-13
ROOSEVELT PLAN
MAKES THEM GASP
Railroad People Show Wide
spread Interest in New Policy
to Control.
SCHEME. NOT NEW, HOWEVER
Suggestion That Government
Buy Stock Proposed Quarter
Of Century Ago.
M WAITER EDWARD HARRIS.

ny WALTER EDWARD HARRIS.
WASHINGTON, D. C,GJuly 1.-THE
modified scheme of governmental own
ership OF railroads which Pres
ldent Roosevelt Is now considering with
81 view to Recommending Its adoption
to Congress- is not SO new as many be-
lieve. 1t was proposed over a quarter
of a century agoiin the West, but 1t did
not attract great attention.
In 1850, Colonel A. ID. Streight was
a candidate for the Republican nomina-
ton to the governorship OF Indiana tie
was the man who was captured, TO-
gether with his whole command, by
General Nathan b. Forrest, In one oil
the most brilliant affairs OF the war,
Colonel Streight owned several me
farms in Indiana. about third or the
way between Lafayette and Chicago
T, He found that 1t was cheaper TO snip
his corn to Lafayette, and thence BACK
along the farms where grown TO en-
cago than to ship It directly from the
F. field TO Chicago, owing to the very
cheap through rate from Lafayette TO
Chicago,
He took up the study Of railroad
questions and one OF the conclusions
/ which he reached was that the govern
| ment should carefully regulate passen-
Il
/ do so effectively 1t should have repre-
sentation on the boards Of directors Of
all the trunk lines. He made this a
chief plank in his platform, and can
vassed the State. His views, while they
attracted considerable attention, failed
TO attract majority of his party to his
standard and he was defeated for the
nomination. That was long before the
Z day of strong anti-railroad agitation.
and seven years before the creation
OF the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion.
Creates Widespread Interest.
The announcement that the President
was considering the scheme of modified
government ownership which should
give the government representation on
the boards of directors of the chief
railroads OF the country has created far
more interest in Washington than any
news of a political nature since the
adjournment OF Congress.
The news that the Atlantic fleet was
to be ordered to the Pacific did not
cause any more OF a sensation. 1t is
realized that, assuming that the Presi-
4 dent Is really in favor of some tar
.ff revision. and that he is consid-
ering declaring for a form of the In
itiative and referendum In legislation.
he has left Mr. Bryan absolutely strip
ped OF every one OF his political vest
ments.
What Bryan Declared.
Mr.. Bryan declared 1t to be his opin-
ion that the government would "ulti-
lnateiy" have to assume ownership of
the railroads: that Is, the trunk lines.
President Roosevelt Is considering rec
ommcnding that the government Sc
+ cure partial ownership of these trunk
lines at once. The directors repre-
senting the government on the boards
would have very strong voice in
shaping the policies OF the roads. 1t
is believed there Is little doubt that
demand that the government buy the
properties 1t was aiding in managing,
and which We're not paying enter
prises under such policies would meet
with eventual compliance.
In fact. the government would not
be In position to resist such demand
with good grace. since it had assumed
to aid In shaping unsuccessful finan-
cia policy Should the roads make
money under the new system the de-
,mand that the government purchase
would not come from the railroads. but
that 1t would come from a large sec
ton. of the public, which would hope
to see rates for service reduced by
the exact amount of profits to the
railroads under the complex system OF
private and governmental ownership
is scarcely to be doubted. And the
,demand could not be opposed on prn-
Ssciple. since the government would al
ready have yielded the principle in
entering into partnership in the
ownership of the roads.
How Democrats View 1t.
Democrats are at perfect liberty tc
criticize the President should he adop
the copartnership policy, since a ma
iority of the Democratic papers a
least have declared In opposition t
Mr.. Bryans suggestion Of ultimate out
right ownership. But it Is not quite
clear how Republican organs who ar,
practically unanimous in adulation O
President Roosevelt can commend hi
new policy and continue to condemn
Mr.. Bryan for his even limiting at gov
ornamental ownership at some indefinite
time in the future.
There was great deal said afte
Mr. Bryan's Madison Square Gardel
speech and hint at government owner
ship about his having eliminated him
self from among the possibilities as
presidential candidate. 1t is not likel.
the same kind of talk will be hear
concerning the President should h
finally declare for governmental owner
ship of railways BY copartnership.
r,pTrsIyIrv, no mr.