The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-06-28
UNAMERICAN POLICY
EVIL IN PROPOSED GOVERNMENT
OWN ERsHiP OF RAILROADS.
Is SoclaIistlc and Contrary TO Pro
visions Of the Constitution-Demo-
cratic Plan Provides Only
Feasible Solution.

According to Webster's dictionary.
socialism is a social state in which
there is community OF property
among all the citizens: and the word
is said TO be a new term for agrarian
ism socialist is therefore a person
who advocates a community OF prop
erty among all the citizens of the
state.
State socialism. or agrarianism, is
tabooed In the federal constitution,
by which personal liberty and private
property are protected in the same
sentence and under the same words
with human life. No person shall
''be deprived of life, liberty, or proper
| ~, without due process Of law; nor
shall private property be taken for
public use without just compensa-
ton" These words are found in the
famous fifth amendment The con-
stitution also guarantees the right
of the people to be secure in their per-
sons, papers, houses, and effects"
Socialism Is, therefore, absolutely
inconsistent with Americanism. Yet
this does not imply that cities. coun-
ties or states may not. or should NOT,
build. own, and operate railroads.
turnpikes, bridges, gas works, water
works. telephone systems, street-car
lines, subways, or anything which
may properly be called a public util-
ity, any more than it implies that the
government of the union may not
own its shipyards. gun factories, war
ships, military railway, telegraph and
cable lines; its forts, magazines.
arsenals dockyards and other needfuI
buildings its military and naval
stores. its coaling stations its minis.
its printing establishments, etc.
The government might own and
operate a railroad for military or
naval purposes. and it does, in fact.
now own and operate a railroad in
Panama, and il is constructing a canal
there for national purposes consistent
with the constitution. But ii has no
authority TO own or operate trunk
lines" engaged in ordinary interstate
commerce. Its power over such lines
is only the power TO regulate" a sort
OF police power entirely distinct from
ownership. yet amply sufficient to
control all interstate commerce and
It's instrumentalities No man who
reyeyer 81 constitution or prizes in
dividual rietis will ever consent TO
federal ownership OF trunk lines
Because such ownership being I'M
necessary and tending to socialism
and despotism, is un.American. and
contrary TO the entire ethical and POI
races. A leader who would advocate
such a policy would find himself at
home in feudal monarchy, but not in
republic.
The Democratic party. through its
leaders in 1883, devised the only con-
stitutional or feasible plan for CON
trolling interstate and foreign COM
merce.. On January 80, OF that year.
Mr. Rayner introduced in the house
Of representatives a bill based on the
commerce clause of the constitution;
and on August IA, of the same year.
Mr.. Reagan introduced a similar bill
In the senate, providing for the con-
troll of trusts. and defining trust;
and subsequently Mr. Bland of Mis-
souri, offered an amendment, provid.
ing that every contract or agree
ment for transportation Of
persons or property from one state
or territory into another shall be
deemed unlawful within the meaning
OF this act" (2l Record. 400. This
amendment was aimed at the railroad
pools" I'D the Standard Oil trust.
II passed the lower house unanimous
ly, but was partly stricken out by the
senate. Ii would have rendered the
so-called Sherman antitrust act
which was really the Rayner-Reagan
bill. entirely effective. All that is now
needed Is to incorporate the principle
Df the old Bland amendment into the
law and increase the penal
ties for its violation by making such
a felony and Furnishing by
the criminals found
guilty II is as foolish to talk of max
ng the government own the railroads
n order to govern them as Il would
We be TO talk OF making il own all
nen In order TO govern them. Gov.
ownership would result in
'lacing all railroad employees at the
mercy of designing politicians. and
reate the worst political machine
yer devised by man.