The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-06-30
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP OF
RAILROADS.

Government ownership of rail-
roads in five years is the prediction
of an old time railroad chief. A
Chicago dispatch carried by the
United Press says: "E. P. Ripley,
president of the Santa Fe, predicted
today in an interview with the United
Press that within five years the
United States government would
own every line of railway within it's
domain. He believes that the meas
ure for government control will be
introduced in congress, at the initia-
tive of the government, for the pur-
chase of all the railway systems as
an economic necessity. How much
money will be required for the pur-
chase, Ripley refuses even to esti-
mate, but says that the present capt.
talization of the railway system is
not their total value. If the railroads
are asked to name their price, Ripley
says they will ask more in nearly
every case than the capitalization at
present. Within five years, certain
ly not more than ten years. said
Ripley, the United States govern
ment will own all the railroads with
in it's borders. The rate regulation
bill being considered at Washington
is the step which presages this final
result. The attitude taken by Presi-
dent Ripley and other western rail-
road men is that the railroads can no
longer endure the radical legislation,
which, they claim, takes the man
| agement of their property out of their
hands and it is stated to be the con-
| census of opinion of western railroad
that tho inovif q h1n
of recently enacted legislation, or
| that now pending, will be the retire
| ment of private owners from the con-
troll of railroad lines. Within the
powers given by the new legislation
railroad officials assert that the gov
eminent officials may compel rail-
western railroad owners regard these
laws as confiscatory and in viola
ton OF their property rights. They
can only forsee long and expensive
litigation to protect their property
rights and, rather than incur waste
IN time and money and risk the de-
struction of rights in the storm of
demands for radical action against
public carriers, they are willing to
sell to the government"
| DoAlCl w llldIu, president or the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, is an
other railroad chief who believes
government ownership of railroads
will soon be at hand A Deer Park,
Md, dispatch carried by the Associ-
ated Press says: "Mr Willard said
that he did not believe such result
would be to the best interests of the
country for, on the basis of rates and
service, government ownership, or
even exacting regulation, had not
been proven to be such abroad.
Freight rates, he declared, were far
lower here than in any other country
and had been going downward in
face OF the reverse as to operating
expenses. Mr.. Willard announced
that the policy of his administration
vas to be recognition of the chang
Cd conditions regarding supervision
OF railroads, and strict adherence
to the statutes SO long as their valid
lty was undisturbed by judicial
declaration of unconstitutionality. In
urging upon the officials the necessity
for complete unity in working for the
! company's interest, Mr.. Willard
pointed out that increased wages on
| the Baltimore and Ohio had added
! upwards 100000 to expense of
| operations, and increased cost of
all materials entering into the ex-
tensive equipment, purchases and
| betterment in progress had added as
many millions moro -