Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-01-24
Representative Bryan Of
Washington Says Government
Operation Is Inevitable.
PREDICTS Finish FIGHT
OVER THIS PROPOSITION
Yoakum and Others Also Speak Be-
fore Republican Club Of
New York.

NEW YORK. January e3.-Govern-
ment ownership and operation OF tho
railroads of the United States are In
evitable. in the opinion OF Repre-
sentative James W. Bryan OF wash
ington. who spoke on this topic at tho
Republican Club here today Eventu-
ally the democracy of the people amt
the 'aristocracy Of the railroad cor
porations' must grapple in fight I"
a finish. he said.
Monopoly of railway transportation
Is inevita BILE and necessary" Mr.. Bryan
asserted. The attempt to keep the
railways apart and compel them TO
fight each other is absurd and waste
full. Hartman did a great service for
the people in going as far as he did
toward Harrimanizing the railway
system. but a government which costs
1.00o. 100000 year feels Its weakness
| in the presence of an internal corpora
ton which must, under present sys-
TENS, be managed by a few men. Such
power naturally adds to itself other
great interests. such as the banking,
manufacturing and water-power inter
ests: and leads to an aristocracy of
wealth in which a half dozen men be-
come more powerful than kings.
Too Big to Live Under People.
The big transportation machine in
the United States has become too big
to live under the peoples corporation.
known as the United States of Ameri-
ca. The 100. 900. 600 stockholders of this
$40. 000. 100000 company will newt
| ably conclude that the supremacy OF
the government Is challenged by this
power. The inevitable result is n
fight to the finish between the two in
4
the people. asserting itself through
| the federal government. OF the aris-
tocracy Of the railroad corporations
Prof Edward Sherwood Mead of the
University Of Pennsylvania and
Thomas F. Woodlock. formerly of the
Wall Street Journal. opposed govern
| ment ownership. Prof. Mead said dan
ger would ensue II the executive heads
of railways were to change with each
succeeding administration, and denied
that the people opposed the railways.
Benjamin F. Yoakum. chairman of the
st. Louis and San Francisco railroad,
declared it made little difference who
owned railroads, because the govern
ment could exercise the same reguia-
tive control over them as II II really
owned them.
The best possible solution Of the I'M
employment question lies in govern
ment encoura cement or cooperation in
| the restoration of railroad construc-
ton and the opening up or new lands.
Mr.. Yoakum said.
IF a way can be found to do this.
every other class of business will re
spond and flourish from the time such
a fixed policy is assured" said Mr.
Yoakum. In the days when this kind
of construction work was going on in
different sections of the country, with
thousands of new homes. new fields
and industries. nothing could head or
prosperity"
Railroad Construction Arrested.
He said that railroad construction
| has been arrested since 1912 and tina
the prospects are that there will be
no such work for two years more.
Meanwhile the country has 10000 ad-
ditional mouths to feed without any
additional products to feed them.
The cessation of railroad construc-
| ton for four years. Mr.. Yoakum said
would mean that the country had failed
to invest more than $1,000. 100000.
Before all this important work OF
new railroad construction can be re-
! sumed." he continued. "a method must
be found by which the government.
the bankers and the builders can CO.
operate. The government must give
| material announcement to this neces-
sary work