The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-11-28
HIGH COST OF BURLESONISM

| The Republican Publ city Associ.
alton through its President, Hon,
Jonathan Bourne. Jr., today gave out
the following statement from Its
Washington Headquarters:
"a few months ago the Postmaster
! General was strong advocate OF
government ownership and operation
Of the telegrap ph and telephone sys.
TENS, in which respect he followed
humbly the lead Of former Congress
| man David J Lewis, Of Maryland
Lewis had been the arch-cha ampion of
government ownership and was
ways ready to present enormous tab.
ular statements which were alleged
TO demonstrate that private owner
| ship was wasteful and expensive
Burleson swallowed the Lewis propa.
ganda, hook, line and sinker.
s"Acting under his war powers,
and without any real war necessity,
the Pres dent took over
the telegraph and telephone lines and
placed them under the control of
Postmaster General Burleson, who, In
turn placed them under the control
of Lewis. Lewis. it should be re-
Nmembered, was defeated for reelection
by his congressional district, in Mary.
land was appointed to the Tariff
Commission, and thence transferred
TO the management Of the telegraph
and telephone systems. We had a
year Of experience with government
operation Of the wire systems and the
Experience is about to cost the govern
ment some 1900, 900, or the amount
of the deficit.
st can scarcely be denied that the
demonstration is complete. Mr..
Lewis and his Democratic followers
in the socialistic movement, confident
" asserted that immense savings
could be effected and rates greatly re.
duced under government manage
ment. They were given full and alb
solute control. They were dictators
in the offices Of the wire companies.
They coulc and did remove supervis
ory officers at will. Almost the first
act of their management was an in
erease in rates and their last act will
be call upon the treasury for an ap-
preparation to pay their deficits.
1T is true that in some respects
the wire companies were embarrassed
by war cond tions but in
other respects the war was an advan-
tage to them. 1t gave them the
largest business in their historv-t the
government alone using the wire to
an extent that is almost appalling
During the war period the wires
were never idle nor were the en-
poyees of the companies. They were
earning revenues every moment Of
the day and night.
IF it had been true, as alleged by
Lewis and apparently endorsed by
lBurleson and President Wilson, that
there were enormous wastes under
private management which govern
ment could avoid, the savings in that
respect should have been great enough
to cover increased expenses, and make
increased rates unnecessary. But the
savings were not effected as infer
entially promised. EXPENSES were in
creased, charges were increased, serv-
ice was curtailed, efficiency was sac
rifced. the business was demoralized,
and in the end, there is deficit to
be paid.
"But there is one consolation. Al
though it will cost the people of the
country Sl4 100000, together with the
Increased charges, to learn by practical
demonstration what government man.
agement means, the lesson is
probably worth what 1t costs. We
shall never again be troubled
with the complicated tabulations in
teligible to no one, by which Mr.
Lewis claimed to be able to demon
strate the superiority of government
over private management. Mr. Lewis
like many other impractical theorists
will probabably retain an honored
position in the Wilson administration
until 1921. Then he and all the rest
Of the costly bunch will go. He will
deserve the thanks of the nation for
having demonstrated the unsoundness
of his own teachings