Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-21
Could the GOvernmentOWn and
Manage the Railroads?
Yes and the Government WILL Own and Manage the Railroads
When the Time Comes, Paying the Owners Fairly.

Those who oppose Government ownership used to say with
satisfied smile The Government is not able to manage i'm
portant undertakings GREAT undertakings require the great
American business He does not ondescend to go into Gov
eminent employ Inferior Government employees can not man
age big things.
They say that quite cheerfuly they used to-
that the parcel post has made thirty millions of profits in the first
year AND COMPELLED THE LARGE INTELLECTUAL
AMERICAN BUSINESS MEN TO REDUCE THEIR EXPRESS
RATES BY ALMOST FIFTY PER CENT
The postofce that carries letter Hawaii London
dog sled the oupo Alaska for two cents scarcely
be declared incapable
Now that it does with parcels what had done with letters
giving better service quicker service infinitely cheaper service
the placid critics of Government ability troubled
They troubled particularly about the railroads But
they still persist that the railroad system complicated too
difficult, for management by the Government
The fight against Government ownership of railroads
carried on FIRST by those who don what they dis
cussing
Second by the of railroads who have made money
out of dividends money out of wrecng roads out of
rebates for special customers out of everything except
GIVING THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.
And opponents of Government railroad ownership also
fortunately the railroad employees.
They imagine in some vague way that they would be in
jued by Government ownership whereas in reality they would
be better paid they would have better hours they would be
cure in their employment under civil service
On the New York Central Twentieth Century express
admirably managed train which would be duplicated hun
ded times under Government ownership by the way
there Travelled the other day who does millions of business
year with the railroads He probably does business little
advantagecusy than his small competitors And he asked
this question:
you ownership, mention single thing
which the Government
managed"
of this newspaper
THE New York Central Railroad railroads
planned bitterly about the recent increase the railroads
The amounted millions for ALL of the
Of all of the railroads complained that that horrible
h.-sIN MILLIONS In year
They could not bear and the people good
with freight they added
lions at time to the cost of wages on the railroads of the East
railroad great
millions for LAsoR-
of the nation tens thousands of families working
But the New York Central system alone carries debt of at
three hundred millions. which with the
o"s shaving money schemes OF Wall Street at least
Therefore this railrOad-Ae York Central
eighteen millions debt three hundred millions
The Government of the United States issuing Government
owned railroad bonds GOVERNMENT,
could borrow the three hundred millions FOR THREE PER CENT
Therefore the Government the United States owned this
millions
Of debts, handled much difficulty
T4A1 ONE ITEM TIE GOVERNMENT WOULD
SAVE NINE MILLION DOLLARS YEAR-sY PAYING THREE
PER CENT FOR The MONEY INSTEAD OF SIX"
You ask what the Government could do the management
of railroads better than private individuals do here your
The Government could save nine million dollars year on
the charges single railroad And would pay
ALL THE SIX MILLIONS INCREASE OF WAGES AND
LEAVE THREE MILLIONS OVER
And what the Government could do with the New York
Central could do with the other railroads 1t could take them
out of the hands of the money lenders the sharks the note
shavers THE so CALLED HIGHLY RESPECTABLE BANK
Frs that rob every railroad all the year round through usuy
and that occasionally treat the New Haven the Ppont Nor
gan firm did running the stockholders and wrecng the road
The who asks how the Government of the United
could possibly the railroads better than they
aged between specializing presidents and thvh bankers
might just we'll how the Government States
could other business better than burglars
could manage it.
The Government in time WILL manage the railroads and
them For they the real ROADS of the country Ma
lions have always owned their roads.
Occasionally highwaymen, called barons lords of the
have stood here and there taking toll from the
And to-day big national roads similar hghwaymen rail
road barons and financial sharks stand taking toll But that