The Washington herald., 1915-01-25
GETS A SHOT FROM SHoNTS.
Representative Bryan the Lone Ad-
vocate of Government Ownership.


New York. Jan. Att would be a
terrible thing to have a Secretary of
State in Washington writing to some rail-
road official for jobs for deserving Demo-
Gratis"
This was part of a picture OF what
might happen il the United States adopt
ed the plan of government ownership of
railroads. painted by Prof. Edward Sher-
wood Mead, of the University of Penn
syIvania, in the course of an address be-
fore the Republican Club at its regular
Saturday luncheon yesterday afternoon.
The lone advocate of government own
ership among the speakers was Repre-
sentative James Wesley Bryan, of Wash
ington. Besides Prof. Mead. those who
argued against the Representative were
Benjamin F. YOakum, chairman of the
board of the st. Louis and San Francisco
Railway. and Thomas F. WoOdlOck, a
recognized railroad authority. Edward F.
Cragin presided at the luncheon. which
was attended by about lJO club members.
T. p. Shonts. president of the INTERIOR
ough Rapid Transit Company, who was
in a front seat, was quizzed by Repre-
setativc Bryan about the success of the
government-owned Panama Railroad. The
I. r. T. head admitted that it had been
admirably managed, and then Mr.. Bryan
came right back with the query If he
didn't think he could operate a railroad
system just as successfully for the gov
ernment as for a private corporation.
IF | could charge cents a mile per
passenger, / could" laughed Mr.. Shonts
But I'd hate to be guilty" he con-
tinued, "of making the profit that
the government is making on the
Panama lines"
Congressman Bryan contrasted the
railroad situation in this country to
that of Germany and England to the
disadvantage of American transporta-
ton.
The big transportation machine in
the United States" he said, has be-
come too big to live under the peO-
pies corporation, known as the United
States of America. The 1OO,O00.0OO
stockholders of this $l3O,OOO. 900. 900
company will inevitably conclude that
the supremacy of the government is
challenged by this power itself The
inevitable result is a fight to the
finish between the two institutions
Either the democracy of the people as
serting itself through the Federal
government or the aristocracy of the
railroad corporation must fail. AL
ready the Federal government has
won through submission to partial
regulations"
Representative Bryan said that Ger
many's profit on it's $4,000, 900, 900
worth of railroads was $4,000, 900, 900.
Il am convinced" he added, that
these figures as to German condi-
tions are accurate, and that If the
government of the United States had
operated these railroad systems IL
would have a much better system than
exists today and it would not have
more than $4,000. 100000 invested. so
far as the figures on the books would
show. The people would have the
1000. .OOO. 900 that are now the assets
of the Harry Thaws, the Hetty Greens,
the Gates, the papas-in-iaw Of foreign
counts and the guardians Of rare and
unusual poodles and collies and troT-
ters and yachts"
The other speakers were all strong
ly opposed to the government owner
ship scheme. Mr.. woodlack said that
under that plan we would get con
servative management with inertia in
stead initiative" He said the Inter
state Commerce Commission should be
enlarged by the addition of expert
enced railroad men.