Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-30
BRYAN OFFERS PLAN
TO END RAIL ROW
Former Secretary of State Ap-
pears Before Interstate Com
merce Committee.
PRESENTS THREE ARGUMENTS
Nebraskan's Scheme Provides
Dual System With Trunk
Line in Each State.
PRESENTS THREE ARGUMENTS

.
WASHINGTON, August oa.-Goyern-
ment ownership. and operation o. tho
railroads as a solution Of the critical
transportation problem now confront
ing the country was strongly advocated d
bE William Jennings Bryan before the
House Interstate Commerce Committee
today.
Mr.. Bryan said he was not prepared
TO directly indorse or disapprove the
fiump plan for naturalization o: the
railroads. He thought several features
oil 1t were dangerous. But rather than
see the roads turned back TO their
private owners he would favor the
Plumb scheme.
!, ,,xo Ask9a sSa,jt, # he though; electric lines
mso, ,so should hc owned by the govern
well be Included too" The tim is
not Yet ripe. however. for eNiension
:" ..rbs RI" po'DrE bi1 to mines. he said.
told the Committee is whe,bo hrIan an
fforporatsiiocns or by the public ''i'afs am
because ""''i n. ownfHirshp afi-oa and onera,ion
monopoly, and a private monopoly is
'hdssiensib!e and intolerable
NO one can defend A private mo
nop9!y unless he has got so much
Ss2sH s; IN il that I. silences his con.
opposes Private MonopOly
mapnne,, imree arsnments against private
l. Economic reasons
PriHaie monopoly creates rrou,
-, Doyns men VINO come TO dis,rust popular
3: Victims of private monopo,r 70
sec 10 neSpair Discouraged people
asnd 'ni0H9poiy able TO defy the law,
couragcd that the seeds OF snarct,.
can be sown. OK!
tho Nemoers fosner Of scorr committee inquired If
pTHTs!dentIai candidate would prcsen, a
M IN, 20 carry out his plan. He replied
SPOKE m mcrair nan not drafted a bill. lie
Inteu 10 present his views hecause
other plans had been submittcJ
Calls for Dual system.
con,s pan OF government ownersbin
which the Federal governmsn, ,,.,, unde5
own own ana operate one trunk line IN
baen state. The various States would
wouId nwa an OPTION as TO whether they
Mithln their boundaries or whethan
cos, costate , oWnerShip should obtain Thi
estimated ne world rgideraI trunk lines. he
s4,ooo 100000 or $4,000. oO0. 600 ''ah
v.a,nu.. u. ,What the railroad Inarnates
h' hav" If Mr, NJ. hryan continued and will
i ii thcE can control public oninion
Is one monopoly. the gIeateSt j.; ,? ,Cn
.niH. with all the hanKing nowcr ''o
nancrs Try ncnlhd II and all big news
question would be whether The rovt
crmment owned ;hc railroads or ~
railroads owned the government" cue
Danger in Federal OWNERSHIP,
ca r1scrhnent ownership involves
roads would he used for noliticaI NM
noSrs tho witness stated, ..hi, ,ha
government could not possihIv Jo
worse In that respect than the rail-
Foad magnateS have done"
lie continued: There has NOT ho,,
a day in the last twenty-fve ve.rs
. unat the railroads have not heen IN
SSon,icS: Son.,oss IneN have elected Governors.
legislators They have controiiea nat,
conventions and maintained iobbies -
cne enc ernia Gationnl capital. corrupting and
rtohs run,od III those, who might be cor
hhow that the Pennsylvania and
me baltimore and Ohio had lobbies
mere when the Union Station was being
ouih. they used their pass books 10
put through appronriations Eon go I"
years they throttled the senate on a
nlil 10 strengthen the powers Of .ba
'h'SrS'atc commerce Commission.
Try to Seize State Control.
T., me raiiroad magnaes expect to he
IN politics more in the future than
they have been in the past. They h.vn
trled TO take away State control Of
roads and lodge ii at Washington. so
as 10 avoid their being regulated. for
they know that 1t is easier to control
congress. than forty-eight States"
Referring to the present government
control of the railroads. Mr. BRYAN
We have never tried government,
ownership. despite the general opinion
70 the contrary. Government opera
.loh ',, was not tested out during the war.
aLtnough az government control succeed
en where private ownership had com
pletely failed"