The Washington times., 1908-02-22

mt Ownership Is Un-AmeTican.
OF the mileage Of this country has been
sold on the auction block because II
could not pay interest upon the mort
g ges."
The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion informed me that 81 per cert OF
inc railroad stock paid no dividends last
year ana that some were in the hands
or a receiver. Those rain Dads, every
mile or them, have ben paying taxes
INTO our treasures. Under Government
ownership they would not be taxed. 1
cannot imagine more distressing event
70 the taN-pay1nE public, unless Il would
DC one OF those years when the rail-
roads under Government ownership
JAILED 70 pay expenses. and the people
lot only lose the railroad tax. but must
tax themselves an additional sum 70
make up the deficiency OF railroad e.
penses. in that time the people will
wish, IN terms pathetic and expressive.
mat there was some despised and some
times abused railroad capitalist upon
whom 70 unload the deficiency.
BUT another question presents IL
SER, would the Government be able TO
run the railroads as cheaply as private
ownership runs them? I doubt II any
man VIII contend that the Government
can run anything as Cheaply as private
lneiyI,,Jiais can do IT, There may be
particular reasons why the Government
should and must do q certain thing,
but there Is no reason in the books why
the government can do IL as cheaply.
Inc Government never works by the
rules or economy, but by the rule OF
necessity. Experience OF the past has
taught us that economy is not a Gov
eFnmental virtue. We boast OF our post
Office system, and yet 1t has never paid
expenses Postal service Is cheap OF
course, AT any price. but the price has
never equaled the cost"
Advanfags IN Gone
Senator Burkett drew attention 10 the
fact that Government ownership would
not be advantageous to certain sections
OF the country on account OF the DO
htieal los rolling that would ensue.
Nebraska ne said. had an area bigger
than All New England. yet his State had
two Senators and six Representatives
and New England had forty.
Il want more railroads in Nebraska
want what il there double tracked
want more engines and more cars. and
for my part 1 would rather trust TO prl-
vate capital putting railroads there
where they are needed than TO the ext
geucies of political log rolling. handi-
capped by the discrepancy OF votes that
built in Nebraska 163 miles OF new rail-
road, while in four States Of New Eng
la1d there was not a mile built, and in
all New England there were built only
fOTty-siN miles Nebraska Increased her
railroad mileage in 1904 $40 per cent,
while New England increased hers SO
per cent
Does anyone familiar with legislative
processes believe the proportion would
have been that II the forty votes or
New England and the eight from Ne
braslLa hSd been determining It in a log
rolling scramble on the floors OF Con-
gress7
Private capital builds the railroads.
and they go where there IS hope OF re-
ward Public officials locate the build
ings, and they so where there are the
ter OF q century OF fighting and praying
10 begin the irrigation OF the arid lands
OF the West, while during that time the
unruly rivers OF the South have been
diked and the dry rivers OF the East
have been dredged I'm the sum OF $780,
us, 9.95. But you say TO me, irrigation
caTne-yes. under the whip and spur or
the wild West rider who has success
fully lassoed the hearts OF the Ameri-
can people, and is now temporarily
abiding in the White House
Conditions Not Same.
Russia and Belgium, often held up as
examples OF government ownership TO
America, Senator BurBett said. did
not present the same conditions as are
faced here:
Russia has no railroads, compare
lively speaking, and Belgium has no
territory, while the United States is
large in both. Russia is great IN square
niles. but short in railroad miles. She
IS big n population, but small IN trans
pOrtatiOn. She occupies one-sixth OF
the dry land OF the earth's surface-she
IS three times as large as the United
States-has twice as many people-and
has One-sixth as many miles OF rail-
roads as the United States.
belgium occupies a spot on the earth's
surface about one-seventh OF the size OF
Nebra ska. and IN that territory lives
a population six times that OF Ne
braslza.
Belgium is about the size of NIassa-
chusetts, and has about the same
amount OF railroads. submit that
government ownership of q few miles
covering a small territory. with people
compact and quite equally distributed.
industries not greatly diversified, is not
a very sufficient precedent for a coun-
try the size of the United States. The
countries that have trusted to private
enterprise to build their railroads have
Jared better than those that have an
dertaken TO develop them by govern
ment ownership"
Without Indebtedness.
Until the Panama canal came Senator
Burkett said we had been a people with
out bonded indebt edness and we are
now looking forward to the day when
this would be satisfied.
Government ownership means q
plunge into indebtedness from which
we can never return. Railroads under
any sort of ownership must be OPP
Grated by men-pisln, frail men. Sue