Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-12-25
OWNERSHIP AGAIN.

GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP AGAIN.
In advocating in his annual report to
Congress- government ownership and on |
Grafton OF telegraph and telephone lines, |
the postmaster-g general has hazarded a !
daring political move. There Is much to
indicate that his intention in this in
cludes double purpose. First Of all, he
wishes to advertise widely the fact that
the parcels post thus far has proved
success. Secondly, no wishes to throw
out feeler to the country to ascertain
how public sentiment lines up on the
great question of national ownership cf
telegraph and telephone lines. Therefore
he states that the success of the govern
ment in the parcels carrying business has
proved that 1t Is capable of conducting
tho telephone and telegraph business Of
the country. In other words, he Is coup
ling his boast with a sensational sug-
gcstion in order that it may be widely
published and discussed.
Taken literally the statement of the
postmaster-gencral affords as rich an ex-
ample of what lawyers term a non seoul
tur as could be invented. It no more
follows that because the government has
carried through the parcels post bust
ness without a deficit the operation of
telegraph and telephone lines would be
success, than it would follow that be-
cause the government had bought hay
successfully for the army 1t could sue
, cessfully grow garden truck for the navy
Mr.. Burleson loses sight of the very i'm
portant difference which arises from the
fact that the government does not carry
the mails but on the contrary contracts
with the railroads to carry the mails for
It. That means that In so far as the de-
tails of the postal business are concerned,
only the limited service of distribution
is performed by the government. 1t Is
| then a public operation which leans most
heavily on private industry.
An even more misleading falacy in the
postma ster- generals pronouncement Is
due to the fact that in these estimates
of surplus and deficit no account is taken
of the millions of dollars invested in the
postoffice buildings and land which form
the most important item of the postal
equipment. In any private business in
and characterization M, 10 huil6invs
would have to be paid by the income
before a surplus could be claimed. So
the surplus boosted Of is not what bust
ness men mean when they talk Of sur
plus. AS a government undertaking the
postal department even under the most
prosperous conditions is an Immensely
try is rich enough to afford the luxury
If desirable. And it is rich enough to
afford the operation OF telephone and
| telegraph lines The question is whether
such operation would be desirable.
Would IT be good for the country or for
the employees themselves to he thrown
hood Of fair choice in elections greater
to have this vast addition to the multi
tlides of federal office-hoders? Would
1t make the task of governing easier to
have all the necessary additional work
laid upon the national government? The
wheels of government creali little al
ready with the burden We put upon them.
If we make the government try to act so
entirely beyond it's sphere, where are we
to end? VIII It not be demoralizing 3
well as expensive?
Government operation Of telephone and
| telegraph lines can not stop there. The
moment the people OF this country adopt
a policy of government ownership and
operation the principle will have to be
extended in many directions Whenever
a group Of capitalists have a rundown
railroad on their hands the most natural
way out will be to get next to a number
of bosses, hire a few demagogues and
proceed to unload the property upon the
government
Ownership is not all fun. II usually
costs both at the outset and later on.
Control without the burden and expense
Of ownership is immensely more desir-
able. And that we already have,