Arizona republican., 1917-08-22
Control, Not Ownership

Our recent remarks on government control of the coal mines rather of the output of the mines, has been misconstrued by at least of readers advocacy of government ownership of the mines, a step toward government ownership of all public util ities and industries upon which the people depend That supposed position The Republican has the ap proval of reader
 But he msunderstands us We were not advocat ing government ownership of the coal mines any other industry, but only government control of a commodity as essential food water and air. and which the coal mine owners were about to make means of mulctng the people to their own great and unprecedented profit.
 Several things have been wrong with the coal min ing business the past the chief them being exorbitant prices and wilfuly improper distribution the latter for keeping increasing exorbitant prices. The coal mine have conducted their business with little regard for the public welfare peanut stands conducted They have refused to recognize the concern of the public in the agement of their business. They have clung stub bornly to a shred of vested rights
 Much has flowed under the bridges since George F. Baer declared that God entrusted great deposits of fuel of judgment ability like himself and his associates, to conserve Those have fulfilled their trust and the government is proposing take it over, the ownership mines but the supervision of the handling of put. That is all with which the government the public is concerned at present.
 What have said of the coal mines is applicable to every other industry in whose production a large number of people have vital interest. It is espe- cially applicable just to food products. We do not expect and do not desire government ownership of the farms Nor does appear that enforced gov ernment supervision of farming is necessary ad- vsable. The farmer has nothing to do with fixing Of bfS their distribution. The work of the government be- gins farther along. Say in the matter of wheat it begins when the wheat is collected into the hands of the who have hitherto fixed prices and direct ed the distribution It is not necessary that the gov ernment should own the elevators and the mills and sell directly to merchants consumers but it is essary that at no stage in the passage of the wheat from the farmer the consumer should any handler practice extorton
 So it is with meats, and so it is with everything that is or becomes public necessity. The men who have hitherto controlled these essential commodities have bied the public for every penny they could Their methods have been despcable and injurious than those of the train robber. That they have so long permitted to engage in robbery is a disgrace to our form of government
 We believe that this robbery is now going to be stopped that, as a war measure the people going to be given some protection, and that the people having experienced protection will insist upon it after the is oyer.
 But this does not mean government ownership but government control. In time there may be govern ment ownership such socialist friends dream of But we do not need it now. We need something more direct and simple and the bill gives that
 We have means, and ample means for the control of railroads engaged in interstate commerce Whether or not that control has always justly admins tered is separate matter. That depends upon the human factor But the power to secure absolute Justice Is there. Government ownership would fur nsh no greater of justice It's greater com- pcaon would involve still more of the human factor