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The Commonef
yOIU8f NO. 12
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ment, glvo to .tho nation all tho advantages
Which can bo derived from federal ownership
and oporatJbii of all tho roads, and, at the same
time, avoid tho dangers involved In such federal
ownership,, viz.: A dual plan under which tho
federal govomment will own and operate a
tiyntcm of trunk linos running Into every state
(and except in thocaso of border states through
tho states), with ho states owning tho local
linos. ,, t
Tho ownership and operation of all lines uy
tho fodoral government would not only onor
mously increase tho number of employees dl
Jtoctod from Washington, but would go far to
ward obliterating state lines.
Our nation has boon describod as "an indls
ROltiblo -union of indestructiblo states," and no
bettor description has been g'ivon, If tho state
is V remain "Indestructible" Its activities should
bo increased rather than diminished. The ownor
shlp of intrastate linos by tho states would
greatly strengthen tho positions of tho states
without in tho least lessening tho advantages of
government ownership and operation of tho rail
roads, Ejjch ctato, having access to a fodoral trunk
lino connecting it with ovory othor state, would
bo ablp to collect all merchandise intended for
other markets and to forward it on a trunk lino
for distribution in other states or In foreign
countrlos, and it would also bo nble to take from
tho trunk linos merchandise from without tho
state and distribute, It to any, point within its
borders.
This independence would put It in position to
deal adyantageously with neighbor states and
such states would And It to their mutual ad
vantage to arrango for shipment ovor local lines
mooting 'at stato bdundaries. In Europe Inde
pendent nations are ablo to Join in traffic ar
rangdmentB In opitd 5f differences in government
and evoh'ln languages; how much easier it ought
tb be 'for our states to act in harmony.
Tho duar plan lias throe advantages over tho
plan involving th.6 'federal ownership of all linos.
First; the federal ' investment 'Would be very
inuch' Hess.1 II would 'cost a very largo sum to
purchase, e-yon at' a Must price, all tho railroads
of th6 United States!' Tho dual plan' would' limit
th6 investment to tho amount necessary to buy
or build a systom of trunk lines.
Second, the dual plan would accommodate
Itsolf to pubic sentiment In the various statos.
In somo sections of tho country tho sentiment in
favor of government ownership Is much stronger
than In othor sections. The dual plan would
permit tho government ownership of local linos
In states desiring it, whilo states not ready for
govornmont ownership could leave the local
lines in tho hands of private corporations as
they now aro. Privately owned local lines being
ablo to connect with a federal trunk lino would
have an outlot for froight and passenger traffic
and bo sot free from the coercion which has
boon a considerable factor in tho consolidation
of railroad systems.
Third, tho ownership and operation of locat
lines by the several .states would give an oppor
tunity for greater v Initiative and for a conipar
son of ideas which would be helpful in perfect
ing railroad operation.
If it is contended that fodoral ownership of
all lines is necessary in timo of war, a sufficient
answer is found in, tho right of congress to re
serve to tho Presidont in time of war tho samo
authority over state systems that ho now has
over railroad corporations.
ilf ll l di,f?cult t0 tl(1Pt the dual plan, which
adjusts tsolf to thevdifferent degrees of pul lic-
Si iiniS.8 bUr(l0U ovor a11 the etates- and
the effort over several veara u win n ' ,
Btill more difficult to IZ the great nn S
interests to compel a return to private owner1
ship of railroads supported, as they Till be bv
railroads and tho people, It ?oW b? .Ulltotto
to have a system that would give effective fed
era! control of interstate commerce at little et
ponse and without ostablishing at Washw
gigantic bureau for the control of an a
. vhich employs nearly one-tenV of ti ? U
' xnales in tho United States . J. BRYAN
Great Britain haB not bean Rtnri , .
.lVraal military training Sff
The Last Refuge
tiorst
an old one -so old that all tho bypaths of the
Matter are well known.- They have .now been
driven to their last refuge pretended love for
local self government. They will oppose
EFFECTIVE! state legislation on the groundt iat
tho local authorities In each community should
bo trusted to enforce the state law. -Such hy
pocrisy will deceive no one. It is a wornout
fraud. Wot cities which voted agalnBt state
prohibition and were made dry by votes outside
their borders will elect wet officials to enforce
prohibition laws and the enforcement will be a
farce. If a state has tho power to pass a law
covering the whole state it ought to have the
machinery to enforce It throughout the whole
state otherwise it invites anarchy.
In some states tho democratic party "died In
tho ditch" with the" saloon. Those in power
should recognize the mandate of the people and
obey it. Prohibition laws, like other laws, MUST
BE ENFORCED. W. J. BRYAN.
STRENGTHENING THE STATE
Those who aro interested, as all should be,
in making the state an "Indestructible" unit in
our" "indissoluble" union, should not overlook
tho fact that the dual plan which contemplates
a federal trunk-line system with state ownership
of the local network of railroads is the only
plan proposed in a hundred years which looks
toward strengthening the state and increasing
'its relative importance. All other plans have
tended toward centralization.
"PERSONAL LIBERTY"
The Brewers association (according to recent
disclosures') carried "personal liberty" to the'
point vof boycotting a manufacturer because he
became president of a Sunday school association."
It blackllBteda hotel for refusing to violate the
Sunday 'closing law and a railroad for trying to
keep its employers sober. This is the brewers
idea of "personal liberty."
REatEMBER THE WEST
Progressive republicans should remember that
the people of the far west and central west have
confidence in their states. They will not favor
the surrender of state control of intrastate traffic.
'Senator Underwood wa3 very much afraid that
prohibition of the liquor traffic by national
amendment would interfere with the rights of
tho states; where does he stand on the question
of surrendering all the state's power to regulate
railroad traffic within ,tho state? Why Is he n6t
alarmed at this REAL menace to the state?
,01 THE RUN
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' A HIGH NOTE
Lloyd George, the great British ifotni.
struck a highjiote when, on November 11 .?'
day after the signing of the armistice, he said
"What are the principles on which that RPm.'
ment is to be effected? Are we to lapse hi t
into the old, national rivalries, animosities 2
competitive armaments, or are we to initiate u
reign on earth of tho Prince of Peace. It u I!8
duty of Liberalism to use its influence to nl
that it" shall be a reign of peace. re
"WW are conditions of peace? They n.t
lead to a settlement which will be fundamenw !
just. No .settlement that contravenes the S,
ciples of eternal justice will be a permanent !"
Tho peace of 1871 imposed by Germany nn
France outraged all tho principles of justice anS
fair play. Let us be warned by that example
"We must not allow any sense of reven'w
any spirit of greed, any grasping desire to over'
ride th.o fundamental principles of righteousness'
Vigorous attempts will be made to hector and
bully the government in an endeavor to make
them depart from the strict principles of right
and to satisfy some baoe, sordid, squalid ideas
of, vengeance and of avarice. We must relent
lesslyset our faces against that."
A noble sentiment; brave words. Strength to
his arm as long as ho fights for such a peace.
It is encouraging to read that President
Wilson was so impressed by the speech abore
quoted that he cabled as follows:
"May I express my sincere admiration of the
admirable temper and purpose of your address
of the . 12th, just reproduced in part in our
papers. It is delightful to be made aware ol
such community of thought and counsel in ap
proachingjthe high and difficult task now await
ing us."
With the heads "of these two nations in such
hearty accord on principles so important the
outlook is bright for a peace that will endure.
W. J. BRYAN.
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.INCONSISTENT MR. HUGHES
Late republican candidate, Mr. Hughes, is very
much concorhed about the temporary centraliza
tion developed in the conduct of the war. "In
saving the world have we .lost our republic?"
he exclaims. No, Mr. Hughes, God is on his
throne, the kaiser has abdicated, and tho republic
still lives. The war centralization will disappear
with the coming of peace except as we shall
profit by the lessons of tho war and retain bo
much of the machinery asis-necessary to protect
the public from the greed of the monopolist.
But what about Mr. Hughes' platform (1916)
demand for the consolidation of all reilroad con
trol at Washington? That is a centralization
that constitutes a i;eal menace. In protesting
against temporary war measures and at the samo
time advocating the railway magnates' program
he is "straining at a- gnat and swallowing a
camel."
FLORIDA RATIFIES
(Oopyil6Ut, 1M8, ty CTj
The federal prohibition constitutional prohi
bition amendment waV ratified at the special ses
sion of the Florida legislature, on Nov. 27. The
vote in tho senate stood 25 to 2, and the house
approved the measure by a vote of 65 to 1. Tho
regular session of Florida's legislature does not
meet until April 3, 1910, and action at this time
not only prevented Florida from being left off
the Roll of Honor but gives her a high place to
the list.
Now xwatch the other "states fall Into line in
January. Next month the legislatures of thirty
three states will meet in regular session. Of wis
number, twenty-two are dry states, and of the
remaining eleven wet states only two are clossea
as doubtful by dry authorities. Which state win
be the next?
Possibly the President has one reason for go
ing to .Paris just now that he could not well
make public; namely, it enabled him to arrive
in London before the elections, at a timo wnen
the reception accorded him may help elect a
Lloyd George parliament.
If any southern senator wants to revive pop
ulism in his state he can do it by joining wiw
the-railway magnates (and tho republican lew
ers) in the scheme to strip tho state of all pow
to -regulate the; railrcads.within their borders.
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