Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-22

TENS Of the northwest have done to-
meet this second difficulty Of increased
traffic and development. In the last
! i've years ending June, 1906, the mo.
tive power had been increased 80 per
cent or nearly doubled. And when
THE management saw trouble ahead
neither time nor money was spared.
Since last June these two systems
have added 100 locomotives to their
equipment, an Increase of 10 per cent
a year. Now as to freight cars, all
though during the last Ave years ten
Thousand cars have been added to the
| equipment of the Great Northern since
last June, 3,772 have been received.
This is an increase in tonnage capa-
city Of 1876 per cent or 80 per cent a
year. During the last three years the
Northern Pacific has ordered IN $50
care and actually received in 1906
4,440. These figures are more effect
i've proof than any arguments Of the
alertness and energy Of private man
lagement. Would the government at
Washing ton, with every other section
of the country crying for cars. dom
mated by the east as my colleague has
] shown, do as much for these western
states
In the place Of this. progressive and
tried system the gentlemen propose to
put q cumbersome centralized machine
devoid Of initiative and depending on
the whims of congress and the party
In power. 4 have shown the immense
growth Of the country and how private
management is endeayoring and VIII
ultimately succeed in meeting the
needs. How will government owner
ship and operation cope with these diff
fculties We must have more than a
visionary theory, we must have prac-
tical working proposition. You may
4 appoint railroad commissioners il you
will, but there is only one body that
can make internal improvements and
that body is congress, congress al
ready overloaded with work. Here,
then, is the system which the gentle.
linen propose an unweildy, unprogres.
siYe machine with congress at its
head; congress, a busy political body
i with its sectional Influences, red tape
and log-rolling This is the system
which the gentlemen propose. Put
this system in practice in the United
/ States and what would be the result!
Simply industrial stagnation. True
Belgium has with fair success operat
ed her roads, but Belgium is one-sixth
\ the size OF North Dakota. Germany
has been partially successful in oper
ating her reads, but in Germany the
roads are built by the states, the larg
! est of which is smaller than Montana
and every interest is made subservient
4 to the military one. But in those
countries where government owner
ship has had to meet the test Of de
i velopment, IN those countries where
the government has had to build
roads, what has been the result? Ev
erywhere this policy has proven disas
I'trous. Politics and not business in
stinct has directed the building of rail
ways. Fat contracts have been lei
through political influence. Official in
competence and governmental waste
have united in the disaster. And vel
I the development in these countries is
j as nothing compared to the problem
In the United States. Suppose for in
i stance North Dakota needs a railroad
how is she to get it? Do you suppose
Il for moment that the ongressme1
from the east and south, where the
4 balance Of power rests, would allow
such a measure to pass? Certainly
i not. And past history bears out this
U answer But granting for the sake d
4 argument that the bill was passed, the
4 next question is when would the road
\ be built? The slowness Of government
4 is proverbial. AS an example, the ap
1 preparation for the federal building ii
q Chicago was signed by President
4 Cleveland some twelve years ago, vel
4 it is only within the last three months
4 that Secretary Shaw signed the draf1
I. for the last payment. Again i ask
q how is such system to meet present
4 American needs Therefore, In view
Of the actual conditions in this coun
try, in view Of our political system
1 but primarily in view of the immense
4 problem Of development this policy Il
I impracti cable.
My second proposition Is that The
government cannot run business OF
business principles. In the first place
d we must have capable managers. It Il
true that In the highest government
positions the highest positions. mint
u you, honor Is a Sufficient inducemen
to draw good men. To get such mel
q the government must offer the same
81 or better Inducements than private