The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-05-09
STRAWS.
By o. M. Thomson.

has had its turning point. The slow,
dubious and. doubling herd always
hung back until the point was passed.
then clambered for hanging room on
the band wagon. 1t was always the
few who had the faith, hope and
courage to push out and be leaders.
This government has been a slow
one among the nations, because she
has an overproduction of fearful and
faint-hearted ones who ride on the
tail end of progress and cast banana
peels in the road. Then others with
no regard to principle or right, think
only of the source of their salary and
have no time nor disposition to
change things.
Germany, France, England, and
the little country of Switzerland,
have used some good foresight in
their management of the trusts. Ger
many and France especially are gent
ly but surely leading the railroads
into the government trap, for it is
plain to the statesmen Of these coun-
tries, that the only way for the peo-
pie to enjoy the benefit of the nat
ural monopolies, means Of transport
tation, communication and creation,
is for the people to own them.
But this country is getting over
its Rip Van Wrinkle nap. The ad-
vance it has made on combines with
in the last five years shocks and sur
prises the great interests when they
realize it.
A brief review of the spectacular
grandstand, spotlight scrambles that
have been made in the past few years
in what seems to have been more or
less efforts in good faith to tighten
up the check reign on corporate
wealth will convince the political
student of one of two things: ID
that they cannot be curbed and con-
trolled or CD else the efforts made
were not In fact in good faith and
hence not genuine efforts. For in
summing up, what have we got as
a result? What trust Is busted. gone
out Of business or been made to rec
ognize and respect the law? The
time, effort and means expended has
not made one per cent return on
the investment. The only verdict
that we can render Is that such meth
DDS are failures.
We have learned from expensive
experience that we must take more
radical step. Public sentiment Is go
ing to force US to take the next step
ownership, and from
that it will go to democratic man
agement and common ownership.
The general tendency Of the whole
country to return to direct legisla-
ton, and the placing in the hands
of the masses such weapons as the
initiative and referendum, right of
recall and the direct primary. which
will insure the government owner
ship of the government or the COM
mon ownership of the government
instead of the trust ownership OF the
government.
This government has already taken
some fairly advanced steps In this
direction. 1t now owns and operates
the twenty miles Of railroad across
the Isthmus Of Panama and so sue
cessful withal that the rates have
been materially reduced. 1t owns
and operates the most difficult ca
BILE in the world---the Washington
Alaska cable, which would reach
from Newfoundland to the Irish
Coast and land lines that would reach
from Washington to Old Mexico.
The general drift is in that direc-
ton. Witness the drastic national
legislation asked for by the present
administration which has for its
object the curtailment Of corporate
wealth. Hear the hue and cry that
is going up ali over the country be-
cause of the dreadful oppression
brought about by high prices. Lis
ten to the bitter complaint coming
from every direction because of the
Misrepresentation of our public rep
resentatives. Consider the positive
protest against the ring rule Of the
subservient servants of corporate
greed. Put your ear to the ground
and catch the rumble of discomfort
as it gathers force and volume and
take the tip and get in the van OF
the great movement which will be
the most noted in all the history OF
the world. The wheels OF progress
are powerful and irresistible in their
course. All efforts to stop or change
them have and must fall.
The family of J. G. Fritz departed
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