Alma record., 1919-08-14
GOVERNOR SHAW
SPOKE VERY PLAINLY
Government Ownership of Rail
roads Frankly Discussed at
Chautauqua Debate.


the question of government owner
ship of railroads was a real debate
of live question. and every thinking
man and woman was awakened to
the Importance of this great question
to the American people. We all know
that the government operation has
not proven efficient, rates have been
raised and service has deteriorated
very seriously. So far the expert
ment has been an expensive and un-
satisfactory undertaking, resulting in
confusion, expense and dissatisfac-
tion.
Ex-Governor Shaw who debated
the negative side of the question
made some things very clear as will
he shown by the following brief
synopsis of his speech obtained by
the Editor of The Record and passed
on for consideration of Record read
ers. Governor Shaw said in part:
First answer this all important
Question: Are governments instituted
among men for the purpose of taking
care of its citizens or to enable
citizens to take care of themselves?
Socialists quite generally. and child
ren often, would say that govern
ments should provide everything
essential to the citizens happiness
But they are. wrong. The mission
of government is to safeguard liberty
while the citizen takes care Of him
self. If this proposition be true, then
it was always true and will be true
to the end of time. Fix this funda-
mental truth firmly in the mind, act
consistently Herewith and America
is safe. AL our dangers have their
root in erroneous conceptions rather
than in evil purposes.
This major premise being admit
ted, it follows logically and irresist-
ably that the government should dis
charge no function that the citizen
can reasonably perform. 1t is as
unfortunate for the citizen to have
his government do for him what he
child to have his parent dress him,
wash his face, direct his play, and
buy for him his bat and ball after
he is old enough TO do these things
for himself and to earn his own
spending money.
We have the best form of govern
ment known to man. We have kept
farther than any other from imper-
ialism as illustrated in Germany, and
from Democracy as illustrated dur
ing the Reign of Terror in France.
and in Russia today This is a Re-
public. We have representative
government The people do not rule
en- masse. We choose our rulers. We
pursue the middle course of safety
We have also pursued the wisest
policy Of any government in the
world The United States Of Amer
lea was not organized as a business
concern. but as a liberty institutions
LESS Of government and more of
liberty" has been our universal slo-
gan. The government has no bust
ness in business. Business is not a
government function. Governments
have enough to do outside of bust
ness. Of necessity governments
must do what citizens cannot accom-
plish. Citizens cannot dredge har-
bors or streams or dixie big rivers
for they could not control, or reap
the rewards of their efforts. Citi-
Zens cannot maintain a fire depart
ment. They cannot compel safety
appliances. fire escapes in buildings
, or protection from gas in mines.
, Public highways and public schools,
, Of necessity, must be established and
, maintained by the government. Gov
ernments must protect their citizens
from murder. from robbery, from ex-
tortion. from fraudulent manipulation
of corporations. from fictitious stock
= issues. and from freeze-out schemes
against minority stockholders. OH
there is plenty 90 keep the govern
mcnt busy without encroachng upon
, the legitimate and exclusive prerog-
atives of the citizen. And hauling
freight and passengers for hire is
the greatest business proposition i'm
which Americans have ever engaged
, II it be a government function as
! socialists contend TO furnish trans
I portation from station to station
: from city to city from depot TO tide
water and from tide water to the
ends Of te earth, then it is equally a
government function 10 furnish
transportation from the farm to the
depot, from the depot to the store
/, and from the store TO the consumer
/ But the government ownership
and operation of railroads is no long
er an experiment 1t has been tried
t The State of Georgia builded a much
2 needed railway; but recognizing that
: she could not operate it efficiently
E she rented it for $50 10000 year
The state of Texas also builded a
= much needed road but being less
. wise than her sister state, she op.
: Grated it and now offers TO sell the
entire road and equipment for tn,
D debt which has resulted from in
efficient operation
Germany owns most Of her rail
roads. There is not tunnel in al
G of Germany and her terminals ar,
{ inexpensive compared with many oi
Y those in this country. and her labor
: cost is less than one dollar per day
Nevertheless. her railroads cost
Sll5.OO0Oo per mile The railroad,
E Of the United States with hundreds
= of miles of tunnels. with terminals
! some Of them costing as high as