Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-07-16

= L-AANA E1[~
believe that notion to be, In fact, a de-
lusiOn. a s~elf-imposed deception. I have
no kind OF doubt that II we could restore
our merchant marine and again I'LL the
seas with merchantmen, the business OF
the s~hipyards would be increased a hun
bred fold. But beyond that, as a ma
tional proposition, the value of a great
merchant marine can hardly be estimated.
Aside from its enormous value as a COM
mercial agency, 1t would afford a wide
field for the investment of capital and
the employment of labor. The shipyards
would not suffer, but, on the contrary,
would be the chief beneficiaries of a more
liberal policy. In Japan. that masterful
young nation of the Orient. they a
the policy Of free ships, supplemented
with subsidies. 1 visited some of the
shipyardS OF Japan a year 20, n al
though the Japanese may purchase ships
anywhere and fly the flag of their coun-
try above them, that policy has not in
jured the ~ship-building interests of the
empire. On the contrary, In the yards /
visited, / saw thousands of stalwart men
employed, and scores of vessels of diff
ferent types and dimensions in the docks
in course of construction, and i was told
that the repair work in volume and value
was not greatly inferior to the work of
construction. Whenever we adopt a pol
icy by which cheaper ships can be had,
supplemented by other policies of a con-
structive character, n get upon terms
of at least approximate equality with
other countries, l will be ready to talk
about subsidies as a part of our mari
time program, and not before. We cannot
hope for any forward movement under
Republican auspices. That party has
demonstrated both it's ability to destroy
and its i~ncapacity to reconstruct. In
Democratic days we had a great mer-
chant marine: in Republican days we
have seen 1t waste away. If the people
care to revive this great interest in a
large way and on intelligent lines, and
make it once more a mighty force in COM
mercial development and in the augmen-
tation of national prestige, the work must
be again mmit to Democratic hands.
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP.
Senator Stone next discussed the regu-
lation of railroads. In dealing with
railroads INT the question of transport
tation, he said that absolute justice to
both the corporations and the public
should be the guiding rule. Railroads,
he declared, were not only essential to
the business world, but had been a
mighty force in the up-building of great
states, and he believed they ought not
to be dealt with in a narrow spirit or
with prejudice, but should be dealt with
in a broad and generous way. He de-
clared that men who invested large
sums in building and %equipping railways,
and men who devoted their talents and
energies to the arduous task of operat-
Ing them, were entitled to fair returns
for the money and labor expended. On
the other hand, he said, railroad cor
porations are quasi-public bodies,
clothed with special privileges, and are
organized not solely as a source of profit
to investors, but also to perform q
public service, and hence are subject
to regulation by law. While a generous
profit honestly earned should be allowed
on every dollar legitimately invested, TX.
tortion from the public should not be
permitted. Railroads should not be made
to suffer a wrong, nor permitted to dc
a wrong. Asking justice of the public,
they must do justice to the public.
Proceeding on this line, the Senator
said:
Therefore, I believe in the supervisor
and regulation of railroads by public au
thority. Whenever the managers of rail
road corporations shall learn to cheer
fully obey just laws and conform to just
regulations, and whenever they deal, al
1t is their duty to deal, impartially anC
without discrimination, not only with thu
localities also, and whenever public au,
thority, which itself is often not withou'
fault, comes to the point of dealing will
railroads IN a spirit of fairness and with
out prejudice, the time will be at hant
for amicable and kindly relations be
tween the corporations and the people
Absolute justice should be the universe
rule. The public should deal fairly b.
the roads, and the roads must deal fairl,
by the people. If a mpan undertakes
to increase it's stocks or debts for specu
lative purposes, intending to exact profit
on fictitious values, or undertakes b,
Determinations to build up one person
industry or locality. to the detriment o
another, or undertakes to do any wroni
to the public injury, it is the duty o
the public authority, under the power t,
regulate, to step in n stop 1t. l be
lieve that the power of regulation, whel
railroads and to adjust all difference
between them and the people. L hav
never been favorably impressed with tn
idea of government ownership. 1 fea
that the evils of ownership would b
greater than the evils we would attemp
by that policy to cure. / believe if ade
quate laws regulating railroads shout
be enacted and rigidly enforced, pract
cally all the greater evils of which tn
country complains could be eradicateC
If / should he mistaken as to that, an
if after the country has tested regula
ton to the limit, and it should fail
then it will be time to discuss the ques
ton of government ownership. There
no need to do that now. 1t is not
question of immediate concern, an
hence it has not beer made the subjec
of a platform reference. No one pr
poses to undertake public ownershi
practicable or advisable. speak of
only in a tentative way, as a possib
and ultimate solution of the problem
transportation. No harm can resu
! from discussing and developing the idei
: for in time the country may conclut
; to try it, n it is the part of wisdol
that every phase of this complicate
| subject should be elaborated. But no
, the discussion is of necessity more aci
demic than practical, and hence l
i not care to enter upon it at length. ]
passing, however, l will say a word col
Z corning the criticisms that hav bef
made of Mr.. Bryan for what he has sa
upon hat subject. He is apprehensiv
y | tI-A A1N w., - - M t1pnn n r. md -ni
road traffic will fail in the future as
has in the past, and he has expresst
the belief that public ownership will
t finally resorted to as a more effect'
remedy; and he does not look with TIL
O dread that others do upon the policy
e government ownership. He believes
plan can be worked out to so divi,
ownership and responsibility between Il
a states and the general government as
largely obviate the objections usual
o made to the proposition. But, highly
| esteem Mr.. Bryan and his opinions,
canno but doubt both the wisdom al
feasibility of the project, Still, he h
IS said nothing, done nothing, to inyit
II criticisms showered upon him. He h
" simply acted the part Of a statesman,
lie he always does in fearless manner,
discussing a great question of paramou
n Importance for the enlightenment of t
people. He does not expect nor ev
desire that the public ownership of ra
is roads should be taken up as a questi
for immediate action. He Knows If
ever comes, it will be years away, a
he says himself hat for the present
ly favors ~exhausting the power of the &c
ID eminent in regulating the roads befC
as attempting the more drastic remedy
H. ownership; and he a IL REGULATE
Sc can be made successful, there will be
it need of considering the question
h ownership. What is there about that
m cause his enemies to cock their ears a
le, sound a loud alarum? They talk as
nd they had never heard of governmt
es ownership before. 1t is not a new gu
,r ton, but an old one. jeremiah Bla.
D. the great Pennsylvania Democrat, 3
er cussed it favorably and with sig
ability twenty-five years ago, 9
IS Thomas H. Benton discussed it fl
RS years ago, when he made his memora
les fight In Congress Tor a raliroau from
lst Mississippi to the Pacific, to be c
~ strI1cted owned and nnerated by the