Phillips County herald., 1923-10-04
GOVERNMENT HAS ALL
POWER NEEDED

One of the most convincing argu-
ments in answer to those radicals
who are trying to force the railroads
into bankruptcy as short road to
government ownership is contained
in an address, recently delivered by
President Markham, of the Illinois
Central, in which he said:
Our government now has all the
power of railroad regulation needed
to safeguard the interests of the pub
lie; government ownership would add
nothing in protection and it would
subtract the incentive which now eX-
lists under private management to
operate the railroads efficiently and
economically.
The first portion of that statement
is obviously true, for the government
in its effort to protect the public in
terest has kept railroad rates so low
that for number of years few of the
roads were earning dividends and
many were not even earning interest
on their bonds. The government GER
tainly has all the power needed to
protect the public from extortion.
The latter portion of the Markham
statement is the one to which public
thought is not sufficiently directed.
It is the record of the government
operation everywhere that public Of
ficials do not feel the incentive to
keep down expenses and keep up eff
ficiency. In the management of pub
lie business, appointments to office
are either determined by political
preference or are under civil SER.
vice law which virtually guarantees
an employee the permanence of his
position unless he commits crime.
Dismissal for inefiiciency is impos-
sible in practice. whatever may be
possible in theory. Promotions go
largely by political favor.
Railroad records are full of evil
dence OF the superiority OF private
operation in bringing to the top men
who demonstrate the highest skill as
managers. Mr.. Markham himself is
an illustration. He has been In the
employ OF half dozen or more diff
ferent railroads since he began as a
section hand-more important roads
being able to draft his services by
paying higher salaries. Howard FL
lott. Chairman of the Northern Pa
cifc. is another illustration. beginning
as a rod man in surveying crew
and going from mnor to more impor.
tant positions and from small roads
to large. where his services were the
most needed aud appreciated. Scores
OF others in various grades OF rail-
road employment conld be mentioned.
showing the continual effort OF rail-
road directors to secure the help OF
men who can make their roads sue.
cessful r.
Few, II any. OF these men ever sat
in political convention and II may
be doubted II any OF them ever tried
10 control the election in their own
precincts. Small chance they would
have to get the endorsement of coun-
ty or state chairman for appointment
to ther present positions II the gov
ernment owned the railroads.
II is undoubtedly true that most
men do their work well because they
are honest and feel an interest In
what they are doing. But success
does not come with merely doing the
work well-puttlng in the required
number OF hours Men who have
come to the top. have done their work
more than well-they have worked
more than the scheduled tlme-they
have had their minds on the job d1r.
ing all their waking hours and have
dreamed OF II In their sleep They
look or the larger salaries and the
satisfaction that goes with recogni-
ton. both of which they are assured
viii go with a demonstration OF abil-
ity and willingness TO work Govern.
ment operation Offers no such ineen.
tive.