The Washington times., 1919-02-04
Copper Mine Owners,
Business Men
Government Ownership Would Help You as Well as
the Ordinary Little Gitizen-Even More.

You have read about the scientific invention-ma1ng
possible five simultaneous telephone conversations on the
same wire-one not interfering with the other
Where it was necessary string ten separate copper
0ires TWO wires will do the work now.
Please observe what that will mean with Government
ownership of telephones as compared with private owner
ship of telephones
Under private ownership would you pay one cent less
the company because it could do five times as much work
on one wire? You know that you would NOT pay less
Under Government ownership-as as it becomes
possible-especially with such a Mr. Bureson in
oharge-the charge the public will be reduced just as
the charge the public reduced constantly in the post
Office service
1t would pay the owners of copper mines in the United
States actually buy the telephone system Of the country
at a fair price and turn it to the Government
And for this reason. The price of copper is going
down. and the price of copper stocks is going down.
This new invention, making wire do the work of
Eve frightens the copper mine owners They say 1.-The
telephone companies viii want less copper Only onefth
as much for their wires-we shall sell less"
That would be true with telephone companies privately
owned charging the highest prices keeping down the use
Of the telephone
But under Government ownership diminished cost
viii mean diminished charge and instead of selling less
copper the companies will sell For Mr. Burleson
viii make desperate effort to put telephone into every
the work of ve the Of twenty-five times many ele
phones will increase the demand for copper.
Now. in the United States, thanks to Government
ownership of the postoffce, wherever human being
lives the Government carries mail
With Government owning telephones and telegraphs,
where any human being lives the Government would carry
the voice over the wire
The cost would be less, the comfort and prosperity
would greater-and the copper wouldn't have to-
worry about their stock For Government ownership
means full use by the people, and full by the people
means full consumption of raw materials.
The most near-sghted individual business man.
whoever he may be, that opposes Government owner
ship.
Say to any merchant: Would you like to have pri-
ya individuals the pOstOc charge you 10 cents for
one letter." What will be the answer?
Say to the same merchant Would you like to see the
parcel post stopped? Would you like be once more
the mercy of the express cOmpanies? What will he
answer?
When this writer ten years ago was advocating the
parcel post system he constantly assured by business
men that that form Of socialism.
Merchants delighted that they have the par
eel post it them money and trouble.
When you advocate Government ownership of rail
roads, which would everything for the business
Of the country you assured by who know less than
little children ought to know, that Government ownership
Of railroads is socialism
What is the railroad but great highway that should
belong to all the people?
You wouldn't allow private individuals charge you
much for going your streets. You wouldn't
allow them wreck the Streets make traffic dangerous
cause they too stingy to keep them in repair.
Why do you think it good thing to allow private in
dvduals the railroad systems of the country neg
ecting them letting them down. bankrupting some of
them robbing all of them overchargng those that use
them and underpayirg those that work for them?
Retain free competition where competition is useful
substitute for competition great industrial organizations
where organization is better than competition Resort to
Government ownership in railroads, teegTaphs electric
lighting cars in natural monopoies where Gov
enment ownership is better than reckless selfish private