The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-03-18
TELER PHONE
Systems Bear a Big Percentage
of the Cost of Government
in the United States.

The growing spirit of nationalism
in this country, which has found
latest expression in the advocated
public ownership of the telephone
and telegraph lines, gives cause for
lconj lecture as to whether or not the
American people fully appreciate
the development which must newt
ably result from the pursuit OF such
la course
ESTIMATED conservatively, the wire
systems of this country are paying
into the public Golfers a total OF
twenty million dollars in taxes an
InualIy deprive the states and the
people of that tax revenues would
surely follow should the federal gov
eminent purchase the telephones
and the telegraph there at
once develops the necessity for sup
plying that revenue from some other
source.
AS to what that source would be,
the people cannot doubt. The states
must exist; their activities must be
finances. And when revenue falls
short, the public must make up the
difference through personal ta9at on
"a thing of distaste to every Ameri-
can citizen.
1T Is probable that twenty or even
ten years ago the people of this
thought to this phase of the problem.
But conditions today are changed.
No one believes that, should the ma
ton once put its shoulders to the
wheel, it could stop with the tele-
phones and the telegraph. Once .
had gone into business our govern
men3, like that of every country, Will
feel that 1t must keep up appear
ances. ANY substantial rate reduc-
rs fGp-
lures on the experience OF every FOR
etgn nation which has attempted the
operation of great public utilities
would inevitable result in q loss or
deficit, one which the people as q
whole. not merely the users of the
service. would he compelled to
shoulder: and this, too, in addition
to the loss of tax revenue which the
people, through their states, would
he compelled to forfeit.
From the wire lines to the ran
roads is an easy step. No one can
say that it would not be taken. Next
the steamship lines; next the light,
power and water systems; next the
land itself; and thereafter 1t is I'M
possible to forteIl where the spirit Of
lnationalism would dead the country.
lno great item when measured pY
IAmerican standards. bat every ind1z
cation rs that it is but one .ob many
Items that must follow-itemS the
sum total of which can not fail to pc
sufficient to result in one OF two
things either that the states must
cease to exist or that their people
must pour out from their pockets the
hundreds OF millions OF dollars that
the support of the states will necessl-
| tate.
Judge ,Prouty, whose knowledge
of the subject Is based on many
years of conspicuous service as
member of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, correctly reads the
signs of the times when he says that
there are forces at work which VIII
make government ownership POI
Twenty million dollars is, in ITSELF
ilitical issue in the near future. by
him is foreseen an attempt at oold
lusurpation of the power OF govern
ment which, by denying the railroads
proper rate for their services, can
result only in the impoverishment OF
our transportation systems or the
furnishing of an unsatisfactory grade
| of service from which the people or
I this country can hnd possibility OF
irelief only in the faint promise >ot
public ownership.
An interesting problem, Is it not?
The advocates of publicly owned
wire systems have suggested first
step. viii the American people take
iit9 For they cannot do so without
tappreciatfng the other steps which
must follow naturally and which
must lead to condition entirely for
eign to the avowed standards of our
great political development