The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-03-28
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP.
What 1t Would Mean to This
Section of the Country.

Section of the Country.
In our issue of February II, we publish
ed an article from M. F. Harrington, of
O'Neill, Nebraska, on government own
ership of railroads, and we oheerfully pub
lish the following very practical elucida-
ton OF the subject from our correspondent
at Washington, D. c. We gave the
other space in order to have both sides
discussed and the light is turned on and
the article speaks for itself:
Washington, d. c., Feb. 26, 1907
am Mississippi democrat was born
and reared to manhood in the old county
Of Pamela. still maintain my citizenship
in our grand old commonwealth. vote
the democratic ticket in each election held
in our state.
MY object in writing to you at this time
IS to refute the statements made by M. F.
Harrington, of O'Neill, Nebraska, in his
article fayoring government ownership of
railroads, published in your issue of FRI
day, February 81, 1907.
Mr. Harrington is populist, and IS
trying to convert the democratic party to
popuism; therefore, take it that what he
has Ito say on government ownership
will have but little weight with the think
Ing people of the great and conservative
state of Mississippi Of all the sections
of our country, the south could least af-
ford government ownership of railroads.
There are thousand and one reasons
why our government should not embark
upon the sea of spaternalism, but | shall
only point out, with your kind permission,
a few potent reasons why the people of
the south should oppose such scheme.
am no railroad lawyer. | am just a
plain Mississippi democrat and what |
shall say here is simply the utterance of
one who desires to see the American re-
public perpetuated upon the solid founda-
ton upon which it was founded.
Now, as to the reasons why southern
people should oppose government owner
ship of railroads:
First. 1t would mean negro engineers,
negro conductors, negro baggage-men,
negro breakmen, negro superintendent,
and negro firemen in the running and
management of our trains, both passenger
and freight. What white man in the
south wants mis- wife and daughters, or
sweetheart to travel upon trainin charge
of negro conductor. Mr.. Harrington
boots at this suggestion. But, let me say
to you, under civil service law as enforced
by Theodore Roosevelt, fifty-fve per cent
of the clerks employed in the government
departments at Washington are negro
men and negro women. 1t is no uncom-
mon thing to see negro men in charge of
white women clerks, debating to white
women stenographers, and ordering white
women clerks to this, and that, and the
other thing.
Second. If we had government owner
ship OF railroads, every claim for the kill
Ing of horses and cows, and the killing
and manning of human beings would have
to be presented to congress by the con-
gressmen representing the district in which
tho injuring or killing occurred, in order to
recover damages for the same. The con-
gresham would have to introduce bill
to cover each case; have it referred to the
United States court of claims, which court,
after many years, in all probability, would
find in favor of the claimant, and would
send the finding to congress, and that
body would have to make an appropria-
ton for the payment OF same, all of which
would cover period of many years. L
have known of claims pending in congress
for thirty years before final settlement
by the government of the United States.
Take the cotton claims of the south. They
have been pending before congress for
forty years, and are not paid yet. We
would have just such condition of af-
fairs aunder government ownership of
railroads.
Third. Every time it was wanted to
repair depot, or improve piece of rail-
road track, or construct new line of
railroad, a bill would have to.be introduced
in congress before it could be done. Any
southern member of congress will tell our
people of the great difficulties in securing
legislation beneficial to the south at the
hands of our national law making body,
especially when that body is controlled by
the republican party. It stands to reason
that republican states of the north and
west would get all the Improvements, and
the south none. That is the case with
the river and harbor Improvements today.
At this very moment southern members
of congress are pleading on Bonded knees
before the senate and house of representa-
tives for appropriations for rivers and
harbors of the south How much greater
would the difficult be in securing improve
ment in railways if we had government
ownership of railroads.
We hear great deal of talk about
goyernment-oWned railroads Of foreign
countries. Really and truly, Mr.. editor,
this makes me sick, If you will permit me
to use commonplace expression. There
IS no sort Of comparison between the
railroad service of Europe and that of
America. 1t is like comparing an OK
wagon to a special train. All this talk
about railroad rates being regulated by
capitalization of railroads is rot. Railroad
rates are not based upon capitalization.
They are based solely upon conditions.
Let US compare railroad rates in this
country with rates in European countries.
The figures show that American railways
carry freight for rates that average but
57.I4 per cent of the average charge in