The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-11-08
OF A RUBE."

THOUGHTS OF A RUBE."
TIL. following which proves that
public ownership is more efficient,
practical and cheap than private 'ow-
nership, is from the Panama Canal
Zone Report. "Over 600 horses and
mules with the necessary wagons,
carts, carriages and ambulances, are
in the service. In this connection it
it interesting to note that the cost
per team to the Canal Commissioners
for teams actually working, includ.
ing all charges for labor, forage and
miscellaneous items, as we'll as ex-
pense for sick teams was about $11O.
A proposal was received recently by
the Canal Commission from a con-
tractor in the United States who has
had considerable experience in sim
liar work in South America, to dc
all land transportation at the rate OF
$3.50 per month per team, or over four
times what it is costing the govern
ment at. the present time" This
statement was issued during the time
the canal was being built some years
ago but nevertheless it shows how
government ownership is better fol-
the people than private ownership.
For those who oppose state and
government ownership We would ask
them to consider the following: Dur,
ing the time of building the Panama
Canal the government employed $1O,-
900 (some of the time mro were en-
ployed) employees, the government
built and operated railroads, ice
plants, electric power houses, laun-
dries, cold storage plants, machine
shops, hotels, opera houses, slaugh-
ter houses, parks, schools, clubhouses.
billiard halls, Y. M. C. A., Y. w. c.
C. AS, and thirteen department stor-
es as we'll as a long list Of minor
things necessary for the comfort and
pleasure of the 100000 employees, On
ly as a matter of necessity did the
government open its department stor-
es, ETC., the price Of ice, meats ano
| all commodities were several times
as high as American quotations. Die
the people of the Panama Canal dis
trict become irrational because Of the
| government ownership of the stores
etc? Hardly. Were the government
officials who sanctioned this govern
ment ownership called Socialists
Freelovers, etc? Hardly. Then why
! should Townley and his followers be
called Freelovers, Carpetbaggers, etc.
| simply because they advocate a sys'
tenn that is admittedly superior tt
the present private ownership?
The good old Republican party Of
which "Teddy" was such a strong
supporter, some years ago, in order
to show how much it loved the Amer.
lean workman, sent out a bulletin
among the capitalist employers ad'
vertising the desirability Of Mexican
peon labor in this county. The bulle-
tin was sent out by the United States
Labor Bureau. Now then, Mr.. Labor.
er, don't you fully realize what the
dear old Republican party has done
in your interest?
The following statemnt is credit.
ed to Abraham Lincoln, "Our whole
species falls into three great classes
useless labor, useful labor and idle.
ness. Of these the first only is mer.
itorious, and to it all the product Of
labor rightfully belongs. But the two
latter, while they exist, are heavy
pensioners upon the first, robbing il
, Of a large proportion Of its just
rights"
Great Britain had private owner
ship Of the t~elegraphs for about sew.
enteen years, and finding the people
SO poorly served decided to purchase
the lines and have postal telegraph
In a few years the number Of stations
where messages could be sent had in
creased over ten times, the cost oil
messages was reduced one half anc
the employees wages increased one
third. Messages that had been sent ii
England under private ownership fol
twenty-five cents could Be- sent fol
six centa under public ownership
This proves eonclusively that public