davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10
RUSSIANIzING THE
AMERICAN RAILROADS

The United States today faces a
new issue and begins new chapter
in its history. In the proposal of
the railroad brotherhoods and their
affiliations in the American Fedora
tion of Labor to nationalize the rail-
roads, socialism, for the first time
in our history, throws down the gauge
Of battle nationally and demands a
trial at arms. This challenge, in
itself of far-reaching Importance in
the attempt it makes to control the
great service Of transportation, is
of much greater significance in the
definite threat that success in this
field will be followed by efforts to Sc
cure the naturalization Of all in
dustry, or, in other words, a COM
plete socialisiic state.
The time has come for the citizens
Ct this country, its business men and
and its laborers, its property-owncr
and its workers, seriously to face
the issue presented, If they are not
to see their interests ruined and their
property confiscated by economic ex-
pcriments and social hysteria which
Deem to fill the air. Not since the
free silver fallacy arose to threaten
American business and progress has
so dangerous menace threatened
our property. This bold effort to
take possession of one of the nations
basic and most vital industries for
the benefit of single class, and TO
the assured detriment of all others,
frankly discloses the. wide spread
of socialistic thought in this country.
and the danger to American institu-
tions which it implies.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10

man with money and the man with
out it are equally concerned, and
the great middle class, which consti-
tutes the majority, has its all in
volved. Even the railroad worker,
himself, while he would undoubtedly
profit temporarily by control of these
properties, would in the long run
be injured because of the assured
failure of the plan and the econo-
mic chaos which would follow the
working out of this program.
1t is impossible within the scope
of brief article to cover the many
fallaeies in volved in the present pro-
posal, but some may be mentioned
by the way of illustration.
Perhaps no fallacy is more glaring
than that which proposes that the
Government purchase the railroads
through the issuance to the public
of per cent. bonds, when it should
be perfectly obvious to any student
of finance that this would be both
legally and physically impossible.
In the first place, the Government
could not float a bond issue which
would cover the purchase of the rail-
roads at per cent, or near that
rate. Only under the tremendous
pressure of war necessity were we
able to float our last loan at ga
per cent. For such purpose as this
higher rate would be demanded,
and even at a higher rate it is doubt
full it the general public would buy
upon such an experiment.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10
All Capital Endangered.

A fuller appreciation of the menace
which this plan carries may be given
in it's direct attack upon values
created out of earnings OF unearned
increment in any form. we may
well ask why, if capital invested In
railroads is to be denied the value
accumulated out of earnings, values
created out of earnings and from
advantage of location, efficiency,
patent right, etc., in every other
line Of business shall not also be
challenged. BY what right can sucn
values be retained in real estate,
industrial and commercial activi-
ties, If they are to be denied to capi-
tai invested in public utilities. When
capital was invited into these utili-
ties, it was on the same basis in which
1t would enter any other field of in
vestment, and, in effect, to confiscate
this capital now by embodying a new
set of conditions for its investment
and use is distinctly unfair to those
who took the hazard at the time of
investment. BY this same logic, the
farmer who received a Government
land grant at a nominal figure must
to-day be denied the increment
which has come to him through the
increased population and the in
creased price of commodities he rails
es. In other words,thi is the first step
in complete programme Of socializ-
ing business, and il we are to accept
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10

worth of railway property by fore
ing the owners to accept Sc cents
on the dollar for their properties;
3. Purchase of the properties by the
Government, after an increase OF
some billions of dollars in the
public debt, and the lease of them
to Workmen's Council, on which
the Government will have a one
third representation.
3. Fixing all wages and the pur-
chase of one and a nslf billion
dollars worth of material by the
Workmen'c Council.
/. Any profits above the interest on
the Government bonds to be di-
vided between the Treasury and
the workers; any losses to be met
by the general public through
taxation.
!. From 500, 100000 to $1,000, ,0OO-
900 new capital annually to be
subscribed by the public and
turned over to the Workmen's
Council for railway extension.
J. No financial risk to be assumed by
the Workmen's Council; but the
public is to be protected by giving
Congress the right to revoke the
charter of the Workmen's Coun-
Gil Corporation if the scheme
doesn't work.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10

abopt. forty cents worth of work of
the pe-Government control stand
ard. Not only have wage scales ad
vanced from fifty to hundred and
twenty per cent, but tho output per
man has declined from twenty to
fifty per cent.
The Government in 1918 in
creased the wages of men engaged In
maintenance work by more than
$500, 900, 900, and these men have
just been awarded further increase
of $45,0O0,O0O. Thousands Of them
left their work and refused to go
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10
Attitude of Brotherhood Leaders.

Perhaps the clearest picture of the
mental attitude of the brotherhood
leaders toward the situation is given
in their own words concerning it at
the time this plan was announced.
w. G. Lee, President of the Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen, saiGce-
fore the Board of Tailroad Wages
and Working Conditions in Wash
ington: "1'hs War is over, but peace
is not before us, or am poor pro-
phet. We are nearer war to-day, I
believe, than when the Kaiser threw
down the gauntlet." L. f. Sheppard,
acting head of the Order of Railway
Conductors, also said: "They tell
us that the railroads are going back
in January, but mark this predic-
tion: While I am not prophet, or
son of prophet, they will not go
back January L." Warren s. Stone,
Grand Chief of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers, in news
paper interview published on August
was ask,d the question: "How
far will you go in rne fight?' lie re-
plied--"emphatically," as the report
er noted: 1--WE will go far enough
to win, and we are going to win"
He was asked: What If the roads
are turned back to their owners?"
He replied "If they should be. they
wouldn't stay there long, and it is
not absolutely sure that they will
be turned back by next January"
Interest of all Glasses Involved.
Every element in the body polite
La <,&4
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10

1t may be that Mr.. Plumb and his
associates have been mislcd by COM
pairing dollars of expenditures now
with dollars of expenditures under
private control. If SO, they have
overlooked the fact that dollar
spent for maintenance labor brings
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10

started out early in the year to at
tempt to restore the physical condi-
tion of the properties, but when Con-
gress cut down the appropriation the
Adm inistretion had to adjust its
plans accordingly.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10
Appeal to Common Sense.

1t is iuconceivablc that. If the
American people as whole really
understood the elements in the prob
lem presented, there could be any
doubt about their solving it. The
most ordinary comon sense, awakened
self-interest, and knowledge OF hui
man nature anc human experience
should quickly repudiate the falla-
cies inherent In the proposed Plumb
plan. The danger is that public
thought will not be quickened to the
situation, and, through lack of un-
derstanding and organization, legis-
lation may be forced. through Con-
gress by means of organized politi-
cal pressure, backed by abundant
funds for propaganda and lobbying,
which will work irreparable mischief
before the public is aroused to the
peril.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10
under -Maintenance Of Roads

Regarding the contention of Mr..
Plumb that the roads Controlled by
men under tho influence OF Wall
Street directorates have spent vast
sums in unusual expenditures for
maintenance and supplies, antioipat-
ing the return of the railroads to
private owners" it is well known to
evory one familiar with the physical
equipment of the roads that they
Lave been under-Eaintained during
the Government control.
Tn Government is not to be
blamed for starving the railroad up
keep during the war and letting the
roadbed and equipment decline to the
lowest point of safety. Our steel and
labor was needed last year for the
big job in France. The railroads had
to wait until that job was finished.
The Railroad Administration
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10
The Plumb Plan.

The essentials of the Plumb plan
for workers management of the rail
ways may be summarized as follows:
/. Confscation of $4,000, 900. 900
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10

Difference in Purchasing Power Of
Dollar.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10
wan Street as Middleman.


The brotherhood leaders seem to
rest under the general false impress
sion that Wall Street owns the rail-
roads and furnishes the money for
them. That is true only to the extent
that Wall Street acts as the middle
man in this situation. The railroads
are owned. not by Wall Street, but
by the millions of stockholders,
bondholders, savingsbank deposit
tors, life insurance policyholders,
&c., to whom railroad securities
have been distributed. Wall Street
does not fix the rate for money; that
is fixed by economic conditions, and
security offerings are based upon the
price at which the public will absorb
them-and that law would operate
just as surely if the Government were
undertaking financial burden.
BY what process could the holders
of railroad securities based upon
mortgages to-day be compelled to
exchange these holdings or suffer
their confscation? Indeed, what
right would the trustees Of fiduciary
institutions have to permit sucn sacrl-
fees? 1t is absolutely certain that
the Government would not have
either the power o. the right to work
any such financial program.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10

this theory as sound, we must To-
gically follow 1t through tc the end.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10

CONTINUED on page four.)
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10

Interest of all Glasses Involved.
Every element in the body polite
has a stake in this situation. The
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
Affection of the Elephant
Compared With That of Any
of the Domestic Animals

It is commonly supposed that all
large animals of tropical jungles ex-
press sense OF ferocity, but this
Is not true of the elephant, which is
only fierce when his self-protection
demands it. Perhaps no other animal
is so affectionate as the elephant.
Whatever horse, dog. cat or any
domestic animal will do for its master,
an elephant will do, If it is possible,
with equal promptness. However, this
is the case only If the elephant has
been treated with kindness
In the East, in India and in Africa,
elephants are not properly rewarded
for their kindness and service TO man.
In India this crUture is hunted,
made prisoner, and forced to work in
great lumber yards. In Africa, his
existence is threatened because of the
way that men track him down for
ivory. If only the demands for ivory
would cease, the elephant might be
free to go about his accustomed ways
and then he would always show his
affectionate nature.
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
To Reorganize
National Guard
Militia Bureau VIII Extend Call to
All States

With the rapid return TO this coun-
try Of the National Guard divisions
that served in France, officials of the
militia bureau Of the war department
are making plans for an active cam
paign to reorganize the National Guard
in every state in the union. Authority
has just been granted the bureau to
increase it's personnel.
The militia bureau will soon extend
q general call to all state troop lead
ers, urging them TO give their co-opera-
tion in the formation of the national
militia. The new congress will be
urged TO make adequate financial pro-
vision for the re-establishnent of the
National Guard on sound basis. The
military bill that failed to pass at the
last congress contained an appropria-
tion of more than S14,000,000 for the
National Guard and authorization for
the equipment Of all state troops from
the surplus war material in war de-
partment depots.
Authority will be sought TO accept
for enlistment for period of pne year
All National Guardsmen who served in
France. The remainder of the six-year
enlistment period will be in the re-
serve.
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
A Purebred Jersey.

association in one state only one scrub
bull was found where, prior to the
organization of the association, there
had been so scrub bulls. The so
scrubs have been replaced with five
registered bulls. The organization of
farmers into an association for the
purpose of introducing bulls of merit
of single breed and the elimination
of the scrub bull signifies that q
definite plan for community herd i'm
provement has been agreed upon.
There is at present widespread in
terest on the part of individual farm
ers in herd improvement through the
use of better sires. The winter sea-
son affords an opportune time to dis
cuss the subject with ones neighbors
and to perfect the organization of
such an association. Farmers Bull
letin 993, cooperative Bull Associa-
tions." which may be secured through
application to the United States de-
partment of agriculture, gives infor-
nation regarding these associations
and practical methods of forming one.
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
HOW'S YOUR BLOOD q
Pi1nples and Eruptions
Mean Bad Blood

People who have impure or impoYef.
ished blood should be careful to take
only temperance remedy made of wild
roots and barks such as DR.. Pierce's
Golden Medical Discovery is and has
been for nearly so years. Ingredients
printed on wrapper.
The first day you START to take this
reliable medicine, impure germs and
accumulation begin to separate in the
blood and are then expelled through
the eliminative organs.
In place of the impurities, the ar-
teries and veins gradually get fresh
vitalized blood and the action of this
good blood on the skin means that pim-
pies, boils, carbuncles, eczema, rash,
acne and all skin blemishes will disap.
pear. Then you must remember that
when the blood is right, the liver, stom-
ach. bowels and kidneys become healthy,
active and vigorous and you will have
no more trouble with indigestion, back
ache, headache.
Get DR.. Pierce's Golden Medical Dis
covery to-day at any medicine dealers,
in tablet or liquid form, or send 10c for
trial package to DR.. Pierce's Invalids'
Hotel, Buffalo, N. Y.
San angelo, Teras-'Dr. Pierce's pro-
prietary remedies have been entirely salts
factory to me in the truest sense of the
word ~ consider them as being very
high-class remedies and the safest that I
know of on the market. Myself and family
have used them as tonic after the La
Grippe, with good results. During the
last score of years when we needed tonic
we have used the Golden Medical Dis
covery' always with satisfactory results,
also the Pleasant Pellets My thanks to
DR.. Pierce prompts me to write my truth
jul sentiments 20. r. Wilson.
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
TO PRODUCE BETTER HEIFERS
Carefully Select From Herd Profitable
Producing Cows and Use
Purebred Sire.

Proper feeding of balanced rations,
elimination of improbable animals in
the herd and increasing production by
use of purebred dairy sires to produce
better dairy heifers are the three inn
portant things that will decrease the
cost and increase the production Of
dairy products. says the dairy hus-
bandry extension man at Iowa State
college.
The easiest and most practical way
Of obtaining cows Of better dairy
qualities Is to select carefully from
the herd those cows which are found
by record to be profitable producers
and use on these purebred dairy
sire. IF the profitable cows are select
ed, then the dairyman will be able to
make profit while he is building up
a dairy herd.
1t pays to select and breed better
animals because it means more pay
fol the amount of labor and feed used
and also an increased production of a
food which is absolutely essential.
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
One Of Philippine Group
Is an Island of Mystery

Mindoro, in the Philippine group,
is something of mystery Other
islands are rather thickly populated.
but of Mindoro hardly anything is
known. There is a fringe of population
around the shore line, but the inter-
for of the big island is practically
unknown and unexplored. 1t is
claimed that but one white man, Dean
Worcester. ever has crossed the in
terror of Mindoro. Why the island
has remained thus for nearly 300
years is quite hard to understand. 1t
is said that there is gold in album
dance on this island, and where there
is gold there usually can be found
white men willing to go after it.
whether in frozen waste or tropic
heat. but Mindoro's secrets remain
safely hidden.
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
Homely Hue of Immortal
Grass Is More Enchanting
Than the Lily or the Rose

Lying in the sunshine among the but
tercups and dandeliOnS of May, scarce
ly higher in intelligence than the
minute tenants of that mimic wilder
ness, our earliest recollections are of
grass; and when the fitful fever is
ended and the foolish wrangle of the
market and the forum is closed. grass
heals over the scar which our descent
into the bosom of earth has made and
the carpet of the infant becomes the
blanket of the dead. Grass is the
forgiveness of nature-her constant
benediction. Fields trampled with
battle, saturated with blood, torn with
the ruts Of cannon, grow green again
with grass, and carnage is forgotten.
Streets abandoned by traffic become
grass-grown like rural lanes and are
obliterated. Forests decay, harvests
perish, flowers vanish, but grass is inn
mortal. Beleaguered by the sullen
hosts of winter it withdraws into the
impregnable fortress of its subter-
ranean vitality and energies upon the
hA oe SoiltiIdliOA VI spring. OoNu by
the winds, by the wandering birds,
propagated by the subtle agriculture
of the elements, which are its ministers
and servants, it softenS the rude out
line of the world. 1t bears no blazonry
of bloom or splendOr, but its homely
hue is more enchanting than the lily
or the rose. 1t yields no fruit in earth
or air, and yet, should its harvest fail
for a single year, famine would de-
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
Eight Well Defined Spots
on the Sun and May Be Seen
With Three-Inch Telescope

There are, ut present, eight very
well defined spots on the sun, that
may be we'll seen with three-inch
telescope, notes a correspondent. Six
of them lie, in groups of two, along
q parallel to the suns equator, and
about Is degrees north of it. The
other two are close together and
about the same distance south of
the solar equator, near the suns east
ern limb. If seen near the horizon
these parallels are almost vertical.
Since one cannot look directly at
the sun, these spots can be best seen
by focusing the image of the sun
on white card held at little dis
lance from the eyepiece of the tel
escope or field glass. When the i'm
age of the sun is three inches in diam
eter, these spots appear to be about
one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter,
or about one-fifteenth Of the suns di
ameter. This would make their act
ual breadth about 1900 miles. or
somewhat more than twice the diane
ter of the earth. Their nature is not
precisely known, but they are believed
to be eruptions in the suns surface.
The gigantic scale of solar activity
is well illustrated by their enormous
size.
The only influence that sun spots
have been actually demonstrated to
have on the earth is on its magnetism.
At time of many sun spots, magnetic
disturbances are more numerous and
violent, and the aurora borealis is
more frequent
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
Door Should Fit in Frame
Like Stopper in a Bottle

II ruffied the tidy nature Of the
handy man to have to pull and Jerk at
his door to open it. and then to have
TO coax and push to shut it. A door
should At in its frame like stopper in
a hottie. he thought. A cursory exam
iEation disclosed that it stuck at the
bottom. OF course, If the swelling had
been nj the top it would have been so
easy TO plane off the surplus But al
The bottom! He tried tightening the
screws in the upper hinge, which
wereequite loose. but found the wood
so soft that even longer screws would
not hold. There seemed TO be nothing
to do but remove the upper hinge. dig
out the soft wood and insert in its
place a piece of new wood which held
the hinge firmly and prevented the
door from sagging.
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
SWAMP ROOT FOR
KIDNEY AILMENTS

There is only one medicine that really
stands out pre-eminent as a medicine for
durable ailments Of the kidneys, liver and
bladder.
Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root stands the
highest for the reason that it has proven
to be just the remedy needed in thousands
upon thousands Of distressing cases.
Swamp Root makes friends quickly be-
cause it's mild and immediate effect is soon
realized in most cases. 1t is gentle,
healing vegetable compound.
Start treatment at once. Sold at all
drug stores in bottles of two sizes. medi-
um and large.
However, if you wish to test this great
preparation send ten cents to DR.. Kilmer
& CO., Binghamton. N. Y, for sample
bottle. When writing be sure and men
ton this paper.-Adv.
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
Bells Originally Used to
Clear Air of Evil Spirits

The use of bells originated in SUI
pcrstition. They were first used in
China great many centuries ago. and
their original purpose was to dispei
and clear the air Of "evil spirits" alsG
10 break up and drive away storms.
From China bells were eventually In
PRODUCED into Europe. Old records tell
MS how the tolling of bells kept the
spirits of darkness from assailing
people while in the act of worship.
Hence tee connection of bells with
churches. II was only a compare
fiyely recent date that bells We're used
for calling the people to church. For
ages they were designed solely for
keeping evil spirits at q safe distance.
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
INDICATIONS OF GOOD cow
Best Dairy Animal Has Large Middle
Body, Strong Constitution and
Perfect Health.

The best dairy COW has large mid
die body, a strong constitution and per-
feet health. A large udder and good
sized teats, large milk wells and prom
inent veins are indications Of good
mixer. There are many other points
to be taken into consideration when
breeding for results, but in addition to
milk tests, If the COW is well-bodied
and built for q mixer, as may be
judged from a common sense view,
that ought to be sufficient evidence Of
dairy value.
The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-18
RAISING His SHIRTS.

Twice as the omnibus slowly wended
IFS way up the steep hill the door at
the rear opened and slammed. At first
says London Notes, those inside paiS
little heed, but the third time they
demanded to know why they should
be disturbed in this fashion.
"Whist" cautioned the driver.
Don't spake so loud. He'll overhear
u.s."
''Who?'
THE boss. Spake low. Sure Dim
dcsavin' the crayture. Every time he
ears The door close he thinks wan of
yez is gettin' down ter walk up the
hill, and that sort of raises is sperits."