The Prescott daily news., 1913-05-22
NMENT-oWNED ARMoR PLATE PLANT AND ALASKAN
 RAILROADS IN PROSPECT.
Ap MINISTRATION FOR THEM
New Market Bureau and Various 9th CT Propositions Show Paternalism Tendency-Will Aid the Farm
 CT and Consumer.

 toward industrial Socialism is becom- ing noticeable in the federal govern ment under the Democratic admins nation Propositions are made by high officials for the government to ombark in ownership and operation of various business enterprises which in the past have been carried on only by private capital Two undertakings of magnitude have just been an nounced.
 Secretary of the Navy Daniels pro- poses to build and operate steel plant to manufacture armor plate for warships. Secretary of the Interior Lane is inaugurating plans to con struct government railroads in Alaska. These undertakings have the approval of the administration and soon will take on definite form with detailed plans. Congress will be asked to ap- propriate the money required.
 Many other government ownership propositions are germinating in the minds of the members of congress for which these two administration enter prfses, if accomplished, will open the way Among those certain to come up for discussion are public ownership and operation of telegraph, telephones and railroads, plants for manufactW- ing articles used in the government service and a system to assist farmers in marketing their products more di- rectly to consumers. Old-time states men regard these proposals as so many steps in the direction of a benevolent federal Socialism.
 President Favors Alaska Idea.
 President Wilson and his cabinet favor the Alaska railroad scheme. The preliminary machinery for enactment of the necessary legislation already is in motion Senator Pittsman of Ne vada. chairman of the committee on territories, has bill before the sen ate following lines suggested by Sec retary Lane. but action on it is not expected until the regular session next winter If this experiment is undertaken 1t will demonstrate two important facts. The direct effect will be the opening up of Alaska's hidden natural resources and exploitation of that country. The indirect effect will be to raise the question whether gov ernment ownership and operation of vaster scale in the states.
 Secretary Daniels wishes to have a government armor plate plant because he believes his department is paying too high prices. There are in the United States only three private plants having armor plate mills. These are the Carnegie. the Bethlehem and the Midvale steel companies. The contract price for the plate most used is $420 per ton. The secretary thinks it can be made for about half that price.
 Paternai Aid in Marketing.
 In the department of agriculture there has been created a bureau of markets, with s50,000 to spend this year. Its duties are to organize co- operative marketing among farmers, to help out middlemen and reduce eX- penses in getting the produce to the consumers. This is paternal assist ance on the part of the government for private enterprise.
 Propositions have been made in the past for the government to manufac- ture its own paper for bank notes, postal cards and postage stamps. This would involve the establishment of paper mills. This plan is expected to