Evening journal., 1922-08-09
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1922
OUR SLOGAN:
The EDening Journal-the First
Paper of the First City of the First
State.
CANADA HAS HAD ENOUGH

TyNGLAND. France, Belgium-snd Canada
IL they have all had quite enough Of government
ownership OF railroads Accounts have been appearing
the press the United States Of the sickenng ex
perences which the first three named have undergone
J. L. Payne controller of statistics Can
adan Department of Railways and Canals has depicted
he situation of Canada where the people Stunned
by the magnitude of the figures involved"
IF correct bookkeeping had beep applied" declares
Mr. Payne it is within the mark to say the deh-
cits during the past years would have averaged
s125,ooO,ooO"
And this a country with but 100000 OF peopel
Mr. Payne presents figures showing the announced
deficits as follows: 1918. s277ss577; 1919. s47,-
sss.s12 1920, ss75o5,o5s; 1921. s5ss7ass4.
But even these huge losses are but part Of the
truth" says he The figures given do include fixed
charges the National Transcontinental the Inter-
colonial the Price Edward Island, the Hudson Bay the
Quebec Bridge the branch lines in the Maritime
Provinces. making up about $500 miles of lines and
ignores interest capital liability
The for this is that the government utterly
covering capitalization of nearly billion dollars"
"of course It does not by that convenient and un-
sound method get rid OF such proper and genuine
charge" he adds. THE distressing story of
deficits all In order TO pay operating shortages,
charges bolster weak links in the system provide
needed equipment, sandardize effectively built sec
TONS maintain the organization up by the
ernment the official records show that 1914 over
ssoo.00oo00 has been advanced from the Dominion
treasury. This has added TO nxed charges"
Public ownership. discerning Delawareans know,
about IN Canada through the collapse OF the Can
adian Northern in 1914. the Grand Trunk Pacific
years The history OF bad business judgment,
speculation, and organization which led
to the government taking 'the whole mess is re-
by the writer In to the that
this was the failure OF corporate ownership that
naturalization was the logical and unavoidable rem
edy he says these merely bore the label pri
vate control Between them they had in 1914 a capt.
tazation of about s75O,OoO 900 and than per
OF that had been provided their
The remainder obtained on public credit
The companies issued bonds, government en-
dorsed them, and that the end OF the matter.
There day. however. when government found
that precisely the position any other guble
trusting endorser These roads really political
In character. To everyone who touch with
what in progress, well known that the con-
sruction 5000 miles OF the Canadian North
ern had more with be won than with the
transportation needs of the territory served. Had
those roads been compelled finance their construc-
ton on their economic they could never have
gone very far"
miles fell off, the Canadian Northern increased its
workers by so52 or ss4 per cent an increase in
volume of business $40 per cent. 1917-1s2O in
creased the number of employees sos per got
s5.1 per cent less service per employe There was
decline of 4S.s per and passenger mile ef
hciency during years Of public ownership
The story told by Mr.. Payne is the
Delaware advocates Of government ownership of rail-
roads