The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-12-23
IAN NAGENEN
On RAILROADS
,,n,t.d states District Attorney, Re-
Gently Removed, Talks Upon
government Ownership Of
Railroads.
SEES GREAT ADVANTAGE
Not Afraid Of Uncle Sam Going Hope
lessIy il Debt u He Buys
out All the Com
panIes.

SlOCAB 1A1 ASCS. co. Will Lu6
wilson administration on the verge
81 backing a bill In congress to take
over the telegraph and telephone lines
as recommended by Postmaster Cen
sral Rurleso. and plans perfected for
conference In Des Moines to start
movement for; government owner
ship Of railroads the United Press
Asked Judge A. Van Waggenen, Unit
ed state district attorney for northern
Iowa, to write an article upon "Gov-
ernment Ownership Of Railroads, =
the title of his text book issued three
years ago.
( Judge Van WaggeEen is an author.
ity upon the subject and expects that
at the Des. Moines.s conference. many
prominent men will be present. among
them, Colonel Smith Brookhart OF
Washington, Clifford Thorne, chair
man OF the state railroad commission,
and H. w. Byers. former attorney gen
eral. The promoters Of the movement
hope that 1t will become nationwide
In scope and perhaps become the
backbone Of the main issue in the
next presidential campaign. Judge
Van Waggenen's article follows:
[By A. Van Wasenen, Author Of
Government Ownership Of Rail.
ways."]
Yes, think the time has arrived
which was predicted by me in the
preface and opening chapter of my
book, Government OWNERSHIP !, Of
Railways" I said that, notwithstand
ing the renewed hopes. OF adequate
regulation. the question OF the nation
q ownership and operation OF oul
railways could not be kept long in
the background, and that when rov
eminent ownership comes, it viii
come suddenly. 'i
said chat was three years ago
that the inability OF the private rail
ways to meet the multiplying demand 4.
81 such a highly civilized and progress
sive people as ours would soon bt
generally recognized. That is thu
situation now The people demand
strict regulation. The private com
+ panies will not, andsapparently canno
Stand for it. .,.. s
Adequate regulation is PRACTICAL.
ownership without any of its econ
omics.
note the scares headlines in dis
patches and editorials commenting o.
Senator Kenyon's proposal to purchas
Al Of the railways announce tina
such a policy wouldrplunge US in DEF
nineteen billions of dollars. That
The nominal value of the railway:
Their real or market Yaluefis' not owe
fourteen billions. How could we eve
bear up under such-an enormous bu
den OF debt? TO one who takes
reasonable view Of the situation. thi
question is humorous. 1t reminds m
Of the farmer whom once knew, VIII
lad farm worth nine thousand do
lars. A series OF losses put him for
thousand dollars in debit His vii
& SoSSStCu w pulllHS q liUi t6dSc uA I'll
fsrm. Interest rates were high
northwestern Iowa at that time an
ne was paving ten per cent on tn
money borrowed at the bank. TIL
condition existed for several veal
and although he was importuned /
y the loan agents who were willing ar
anxious to place mortgages on tt
arm at reduced rate of interest, h
wife steadfastly refused to sign Il
papers. A rich friend one day offere
70 make him loan at 5 per cent
ne got his good wife to go to the bar
and the combined influence of the hu
pand. the banker and the rich frier
induced the good lady to sign the p
pers. With tears in her eyes she tor
the pen in her. trembling hand al
signed what she regarded as the fat
mortgage. The next year when Il
farmer went to the bank with Il