The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-10-13

and unmake governors, United States
senators and congressman, and I'M
der the forms of regular government
are practical dictaters of the govern
mental policy of the United States"
Mr.. Gould testified before this body
in 1873 that he contributed money to
control legislation in four states and
under his management the Erie road
spent $1.O0O,OOO for bribery in one
year.
Mr.. E. D. Worcester, treasurer of
the n. Y. C. & H. R. r., testified be-
fore. the constitutional convention of
the state of New York that his road
paid the sum of S2O5,00O in one year
Tor legislation.
Mr.. Gowan, president Philadelphia
and Reading railroad, in an argument
before the committee on commerce
of the house of representative on
January 81, 1880, said: 81 have heard
counsel for the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, standing in the supreme
court of Pennsylvania, threaten that
court with the displeasure of its eli
ents if it decided against them.
when the full history of the Pa
cific railroad shall be written the
world will read the story of the most
gigantic system of piracy ever con-
cocted by the mind of man. The six
roads-Union Pacific, Kansas Pacific,
Central Pacific, Sioux City & Pacific,
Central & Western Pacific embrace
2,149,505 miles. The total cost was
| 49,, 1855, BAT. They are capitalized at
$26S ,3O2,4 62. The roads were paid for
by the public except $1,707,350 These
six roads received aid from the Unit
ed States in bonds, interest and land
grants to the vast sum of $447,729,'
470.54 States, towns, cities and coun-
| ties gave other vast sums, Sacramen-
to alone giving nearly $2,000,000.
Now, let us examine the result of
public ownership of railroads. Tte
German government has owned near
ly all its railways since 1S4S. Stats
tics for the year show a net profit of
$4,000 miles of track to be $119,159,-
147. The face by Communication tick
cts is at the rate of four miles for one
cent From 1882 to 1892 the net prof
it increased IL per cent, and wages
paid employees are 121 per cent. high
er than under private ownership.
Holland owns $50 of the 1889 miles
of her railroads, and this $50 miles
carry five-sevenths of the freight and
two-thirds of the passengers, and she
will shortly own all her railroads.
Victoria in Australia has a state
system of railroads which give a
yearly profit of over S164S per mile
with fares at the rate of three miles
for one cent, and pays employees of
railroads higher wages by 80 per cent.
than in the United States.
New Zealand operates 1886 miles
of railroad under government control.
Net profit for 1893 was $2,246,900.
Wages of employees are 80 per cent.
higher than paid on railroads of the
United States. Fares are one-third
cent per mile. The annual profits
from railroads, postal and telegraph
| system, telephone and express are
sufficient to pay all federal taxes.
! New Zealand has made more prog
ress for equal laws and opportunities
than any other nation on earth.
Inere is less poverty and misery per
capita than in any other nation, and
there is not millionaire in that
country.
Ex-Governor William Larrabee of
Iowa gives $4,000 as a liberal esti-
mate for building and equipping one
mile of railroad Mr.. Gordan says:
! BY the elimination of profit and
waste a four-track road can be built
and equipped for $4,000 per mile. -
From Boston to San Francisco is
OfoO lOuI-It dCh IOdu WOulu
be 1880 miles; total cost, 100000
600 for a four track road across the
continent
The cost to operate such road
would be as follows: Wear of road
and equipment, 10 per cent, 100000,
900; wages of 10000 men at 81 pei
day of eight hours, s219,O00,O00. This
, is more than double the number OF
: men per mile now employed by our
railroads. Cost of fuel, oil, ETC., $40,
; 100000. Total annual expense, $3.50,
100000.
The average charge at present fol-
moving ton of freight 100 miles is
about 81. Reduce this to 25 cents
per 100 miles and the increase in
freight would be tremendous.
On this road a conservative esti
mate. of freight would be 225,0OC
tons per day, carried 100 miles, on ar
; average, giving an income of $685.. SOC