Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Nebraska independent. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1896-1902 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 1897)
December 23, 1897. THE NLKUAbKA itiVEVESDLU X 7 STATE RAILROADS. THE LINES IN AUSTRALIA ARE OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT. Premier Turner of Victoria Tells How Tbej Aro Conducted Primary Objects Are Development and Oav4 Servlne. People Like the Bjretem. ' Among the mauj direction in which our Australian oouhId have extended the sphere of goverumout there i none more interesting or instrnntlte than in the creation of tbulr great system of state railway!. The bulk of the rail way in the Australian colonic are ownrsd by the atate, and in aeveral in stance the ystcm are entirely atate owned Altogether the public possesses aome 13,000 mile of railway, which Lave cost it 180,000,000 to construct. ' Moreover, the colonial railway policy haa boon almost entirely dominated by what ia called the highway theory that ia to aay, that Instead of making the earning of revenue the chief pur pose of rail way contraction the primary object haa been to secure a maximum development of the conntry ly the pro Ision of tho chcajifft and moMt cftldent aervice possible, both tbi policy, bow ever, and the actual fact of atate owner ahip have been aubjoctod to good deal of weighty criticism, A representative of The Daily New, therefore, felt that the presence of the colonial premier here offered a unique opportunity for getting a aammary of Australian expo rienoe and an epitome of opinion upon a object of great and general interest Tho remit of hi inquiries will now be given. Selecting Victoria first, a po ossing certain circumstance peculiar to itself, our representative received a cor dial Invitation to meet Bir George Tur ner at the Hotel Cecil. "How long have yon had slato rail way in Victoria, Sir (Jew-gel"' "Since we bad railway there at 'all, except om auburban line, which we purchased aome year ago, ao a to bav complete control. At prccut tho whole of the railway are in the baud of the government. In the auburb of Mel bourne there i a system of cable tram, which compete to ome extent with our railway and which at present are in the hand of a company, but will eventual ly belong to the municipalitie through which they ran." "What first induced tbe government to construct railroads?" "Probably it wa much more a mat ter of necessity than of inclination. Yon see, in the earlier day it wa essential that we should construct railroad to open up the country by securing settle ment. Private companies were not pre pared to run the risk except under the guarantee of tho (tate, and it wa found that the only safe and certain course wa for the community to construct rail way Itself. Of course we were not in a position in those days to raise the necessary capital except in tbe form of loans, and upon these we were com pelled to pay a very high interest be cause the investor bod not then tbe faith in tbe colonic be ba today. " "1 suppose there would be no diffi culty today in getting private com panies to either take over tbe existing railway ov to construct new ones if the government would agree?" "No, I do not think there would be the slightest " "But bow would tbe Victorian view such a step?" "I scarcely like to contemplate," re plied our visitor, with a strange and fearsome smile. "I am quite sure, bow ever, that the life of the government who seriously suggested it would not be worth many days' purchase. " "Do they regard the state ownership of railway as more beneficial than private ownership then?" "Unquestionably they do, and tbey would a soon think of handing over tho ioNtal arrangements to private en terprise as tbe railways. They take the view, and rightly, too, 1 think, that the public is not likely to get the max imum of good treatment from railway companies where the primary object i to provide the shareholder with a divi dend Tho true policy, in our opinion, is not to use the railway primarily a revenue earning machines, but after get ting account to balance to cheapen rate and to improve facilities. In fact, we look upon our railroad as highways, the great object of which Is to open up and fully develop the country through which they run. " f "Hut have yon not been severely crltluised for pursuing that policy to tho point of constructing railway in districts and through countries where there was not a reamniabJu likelihood of their recouping tho cent of oomitruo Hour" "Yes, that is so; but a good dual of it bus been utilnformirtl, and therefore not of great value. There Is 110 doubt, however, that up to the time when w altend our htiu as to construction and iimuutfiiuiwit, and wlion the control wa imt rigid as it ought to have Uhui or ns it I at r ut, there were wiiiie lime mii.tr u Uh much too prsiua tun ly (mm the iinl of low of racoup. int ut Hut mi It i'triviMum If yim liku i call ii mi, was iml an littrinsla pari of a lii y m much at a Miug Hi l ldiUl III llltl I - llllrlUl Stdgtia of a in w and grist inul lUktiig. " 'Jl.no In I lli critic Uikrd about polittiftl nirm ilmi in iMUiiwIimi with jumr railways?" "cs, 1 lit y li.., I n! ihti tirMi U an tul no inUiniiiii r ami bus HllylU wildly throw u at Ihe wiluiiUa without m y (jtuuiiiu h iMid ( Ilia atiual 1 liu i nly it; ! i n f eviliM Its Imi 1 lit iivu'i tiiuilioit autl the al l d ind. ) in id ( mi himIh staff l Unit h, W lill tills trUI..I.UUO' hi it I tlmll In Ui I1.1 1 It, btl h t bie mnli u! w nt nil" I admit ih th 1 I i l u hi'iu mi. I Hu tu mm i f irHiia l . 1. null to It 11. H.o ! pinlilUttll'41 1 I I K(lit ll ll V lh llll tliitlell' 1 ii. u ms iittvi)t u i i u fttm in lh I t t. nut Iil4 lult riil Um U 1 Hunt, 1 . 1 . Ut lUt our i4iln) sra wmla much more than they cost and in the fact that we can now get all tbe money we want at 8 per cent. Tbe with re gard to the employin r excessive staff there ha btvi tot factor ig nored in this connedun. Our railway construction developed with great rapidity, and to keep pace with the ab normal pressure a very large number of men were taken on. When matter set tled down to regularity and routine, it wa found that the staff wa in execs of tbe needs, and further and tbi is tho point it wa discovered that a civil servant their employment wa recognized a permanent. This, of course, raised a great difficulty, but we bravely faced it, and by dint of a great effort and tbe loyalty of tbe elector w have managed to reduce tbe staff to es sential proportions. "Cut that there is any political cor ruption in our railway system 1 quite untrue. Indeed, our state eystetn ha in no way been marred by many of those unfortunate political feature which have been constantly incident to the railway company promotions in the United Kingdom. Nor have our traders and farmer boon troubled with that C3tlyaud futile litigation and those grossly unfair preferential foreign rates of which we have sorrowfully heard o much in the old country. " "And do your railway pay?" "What we are doing is making a profit of about 8 per cent above working ex penditure, but a we have loan raised at 4 and 1 per cent still unredeemed we are not commercially on the right side, but we are rupidly improving our position, and as a deliberate matter of policy we prefer to give wmparatively low railway rate than t make a net prcflt at the expense of our trade and agriculture, and this we find to be one of the great advantage of state a op posed to private railway. We can af ford to be independent of profit so long as tbe colony i developing. " "And wbat i the method of control?" "Under the scheme of reconstruction we now have a practical railway man ager a commissioner appointed by order In council for seven years, with fairly large discretionary power, subject to certain control by the ministry, but only removable by 11 vote of the two bouse. Originally tbe railway depart ment wa just like any other depart ment of state, with it bead in tbe cab inet and therefore changeable with bi party. Then we tried a permanent corn mission of three, with practically abso lute power, but this we did not find satisfactory. Hence our present system, which work well and promise better, so far a can be judged. It seems to ae cure the maximum of expert efficiency, without tbe danuerof mere bureau cratic control, freed from the democratic voice. Overconstruction is guarded against by the most ample precaution, without being arrested by bureaus-ratio pedantry. " "Do yon contract your work of con struction or do it by direct employment of labor?" ' "Certainly, by direct employment of labor, which we find much more eco nomical and generally satisfactory. A a partial indication of this we have just completed tbe most cheaply construeted line in the world. It is a good and sub stantial piece of work, and ha only cost u 1,700 per mile. Of course we bad the wood for sleepers fairly close, and the ground wa pretty easy and un der our new system did not cost any thing, as tbe district intetcd has td give us tbe land without compensation, and, moreover, tbe tssople who use our lately constructed line have to pay higher rates until the line pay working expense and intercut, but even then every one will admit it to be a great achievement, when your average in England 1 I'tS.OOO imt mile, with labor cheaper than with us. " "And what of the outbxik?" "It is very bright We have bod many obstacles, and the depression of a few years ago hit us badly, but thing aro looking up, and the prospect before the state railways is full of fair promise. With fair seasons and the gradual re duction of Intercut as we renew the loan I believe tho railways of Victoria will soon pay working expenses and in terest 011 capital, and this is all we want, as wo have 110 dividends to pro vide. State ownership bus proved the right policy and will, I believe, continue to secure greater justification year by year. " Ijndou New. tewoperatlos) la lT (ioeeranient, Tho co-operative theory require not that the city use Its franchises to tax tho people, but that it extend the service along all cliowcs ami furnish thi'in at cost, or even free of cost, by minting the excuci out of the taxes. Thus Ulitiigow' muuicipal railway carry workmen mornings and evening at half faro. Australia!! titles carry rhlldreu frtonud from school. Jlerlin steam roads charge 1 1. fiO a year for a tlekut to and front the city live mile ns often as you pleasa In American cities this would cost from UU to fV.O. The telephone In I'aris is 1 10 a yean in New Yoik, J 10. ThulheiMiMrnllve theory l.ue tlui gnu I timniliuiis of our day within lha reach of every fam ily, tliuhle the imqdu to scatter their homes in the sul urhs and at the uie H111.1 greatly lucres the nj iituiilttes i f lha tliy f..r uietiil biuiui entnr j iImi -I rnfosor Cousin In Klngibnu. HM aui Hm ena, Whki was Clirikt kill'" I fur and who killtxl hliiir ll liuii alt Ihe way frmii Nrrihlit wlmry ll.i wa horn til a Inrownl Uiu III Ul le siiim r is csllmi "wbllid m ul. h. is." He aslkl luia ' lin,l be iltt ut tiwu iml drove imt sum imaiey t hmig.'r h a uiiuim'l Willi, Ihuuiili IteWM n illi! sheriff iur nu h rlnrif Klulit 1wu at the biittiu t'lirtut was slll.d :ir Ms i)uimiliy with ihe i ami "iiiMU I fur Ilia rli Ii ami iijii Ha .i igsrdl ij ihe imi(-ubU iUimw u a wutlaw and a (clou, ami, If y4 i'4mi, m aJtwvhU. list. Mri U Send u S5.00 by draft, ex press or money order and we will shipvou the following till of roods-Every article warranted or money returned; SPECIAL COMBINATION NO, 87 W Ilia heel KreNnltrn Sunnr. ,,, a tmt muu4 l.ii(lf sp I iikm) i.los or Arliai kle UiHn..., 4 ll Vt r",pftl I'elws.,, J II, rln l;it llnHl'H fotiief,...,,. I III Inwt nlorrl Ore , l.s , 1 "HI . .HI , M , ,M , .Ml i ll I'mipw 4 llm fhui.e Itliw,,,,., Ii. Hi Uu.lu.rf .A ,V . tnu M'-imim beet Teiul lil. ,.., ii in All the atove tacked aecure ly and delivered 10 H. H. nation free for $5.00. The Farmers Grocery Co., 226-234 N, 10th St., Lincoln, Nebraska AN UPHIOHT CAWBIAQg. It lif I- tlim llenMlr ut Sfalii Well Malfnii. There are many things In the live of women which tend to develop a car riage of th body anything but Upright, say the Dletwtlc Ouzel u, (Hrl who tend the baby become orw sldwd be cause tbey curry the IIM I on on on arm more than on th other, Tbey might be taught th better way by their parent or teaehw. There are multitude of little girl In all large cltlo whose chief bnslneN l to tend th baby while thHr mother work. De formity I common among thorn. It a girl ba any pride in being upright in body a well a in moral she can, even if h haa an occupation which tend to make bur crooked, 60 much herself to prevent it. In the first place care fully cultivate tbe sens which tell her when she I wtandlng straight and when he I not, Ify paying attention to thl muscular sens It bwmum In time very acut, tty neglecting It th sen become dull -I paralyzed, Cul tivate it dally or several time a day by assuming tbe upright attitude, 8tnd before the glass and see when you are atralght, or get a friend to tell you, and then put yourself in tbi attitude whenever you aiand or walk or sit at any labor in which yoii are ngaged. If you have only to walk aero th room do it in an upright at titude, If you have only to atend and converse with a friend In the ataeet, n th road, at a party gt yourself no accustomed to the upright aUltud ,hat yon will feel uneomfortable In aay other. In time an upright habit will be established and constant attention hi It. will not be required. A ftmm of tbe Vrri4, HEROIC ABOLITIONISTS. Some of lha Torturaa Kadure4 lr K tupiog Slave. The tory of Calvin Falrbank, th lighting alwlltionlst, who spent five years In tbe Kentucky penitentiary, with almost dally terrible flogging on hi bare buck with anywhere from twenty to a hundred luabee at each floggingand then, after being liber ated, went to freeing slave again and wa kidnaped am', sent back for thir teen year more of oonflnement and floKKlng, recalls tbe many simple, he roic deeds of that day, say (be lUwlon Transcript, Whenever we get hold of an old underground rallroed man w fee otirselvs In a time of prodigious heroism. The nxrN who itu away from slavery Invlteil sufferings worse than slavery. Think of llm niun who had himself hoed up like a corpse In the soul Ii-In Florida, the l,lstnr thinks It was- and shipped to an ad Ire In the north, lis had aom rp of fixxl In the eolfln ami th corners were hsais enoiiah ! l"t In a tilt! air. Hut the hoi was sipisre at the Hid, ami Ihers iioihlng to ahtiw which wa lha hd and witltli lha fiKil. Ofii n Ihe in'srn, almost ded with lit rlltlil iHiiinnnmeut, was left I) in on his fsce; ami hum uh on his heed, th '" being ni(. up Himliiat the eld of a fnlnht hulldln. Ihe f end up, Vary mxui lha u,t hfn t suffer ir. of roiirss; he Mi tl lis wiiuht tli In 1 hie ltla. No ruMiur; h wiuild mil rt him tell and o hr slavery. Any iteeih would bs irefrahla In I hit I H. k knt aim UK h sna awsri a4 when nl '"' himself h ami tlf toKU na 011 a inotlitg rlrMi4 (rata. And b did not em uf the rati until he rlrd at hi tlsatiuatM In Meeeei hlll. Jlstllr; a Iflebot nl ( anrt, h Ml hvf aad eeeal rsgalator tver sa4e. $5 UaeeUone for titateeiuea. Can yon anggest any other source of prosperity than from natural resources? Do yon know any other mean of de velopment than apsdied labor? Do you deny that congress ha power to authorize the stump of legal tender? Can you produce any material with out the "authorized stamp" that i money? Don't yon know that tbe creation and issue of money Is one of the highest constitutional function of government? Don't you know that it I the first duty of congress to provide niouey for luflicient production, distribution and tmsiucM purposes? Don't you know that the present na tional banking system i unconstitution al? Can yon deny that tho power to de clare war and draft men can a consist ently bo delegated to corporation a the issue of money a national function? Is it not a betrayal of tho people and treason to the constitution for congress to legislate the people into debt by "promises to pay note to be redeemed and interest bearing bonds," while con grens ha the uudinpuUxl power to make "legal tender dollars, "appropriate thorn and keep too government und people out of debt? Don't plead ignorance. And now, in short, don't you know that if you cannot contradict those question nor suggest any other source of prosperlfy your action in tbe past plow some of you in a very unenviable position if not that of idiot or knave? Knight of Lubor Journal. faeUl fteviflf Jleuk. A the postal saving bank proposi tion is an innovation thoso who are op posed to it are entitled to a fair hear ing, None of it supporter ask that it should be adopted without discussion. The objection that it would be an un fair interference with existing saving bank i entitled to it due weight. The objection on the ground of "puternal Ism" can hardly clolm to have any weight. The whole existing postoflloe system i a magulihut illustration of paternalism, against wbjcb no on raise any objection. I!ut these and all other objection are disposed of by the experience of oth er countries in which the saving de partment 1 a much a part of the post al system as the money order depart ment or, we may add, the parcel post. On such a question very email amount of favorable experience out weigh almost any amount of adverse theory. And the experience of nearly very European country ha shown that the postal saving bank greatly in creases the volume of the saving and thereby promote the welfare of tbe people, New York World, Ifa lAnked ftlk. A wan traveling on a Missouri train, aay an exchange, suid he could tell by the look of the passenger what polit ical party they belonged to. "Tbi man here," said th passenger, "la a Uryaa Democrat " " Yes, " said the passenger, "that' my politic. " "That man over there i a sound money Democrat" "That' correct, "responded tbe passen ger, "That man in the third seat i Populist" "Correct yon are," said tbe i'opulist, "And that man down farther J a liepublican and voted for Mc Kin ley, " "No, 1 arn not," promptly re sponded the fellow. "I've been ick. That' what make me look tbi way,' K&nse Commoner. f Jack Itabblta Wot tbe "Proeperow : Much abased Kansas (tbe most pro porou and most I'opulist state in tbe Union except Colorado) i sending hick rabbit to Washington to feed tbe destitute of that God forsaken borough jf plutocracy. Colorado baa a few John rabbit to pare, too who want them? If Henry Clew can spread a carload or two around amoug tbe "prosperity" ridden Idiots of New York, be can get thorn by simply wiring oa. Denver (toad. - 1 Everybody Bay Bo. Caacareta Candy Catbartlo, the most wonderful medical discovery of the ag, pleasant and refreshing to the teats, act gontly and positively on kidneys, liver, and bowel, cleansing tb entire systsm, dispel cold, cur beadaeha, fever, habit aJ constipation and hllliousne. Pleae boy and try a box ol C. C. C. today 10, 'J', 60 eenU. Hold aud guaranteed to sure by all drogglsU. A, 1 Adellim Patti The Uaeee al aaag" H4n I heKlmhalllHaitoriiii Ntl iftillf I slid rmiNtll.t ! le sil n...i lh troll. In neail wlufo i..iy Hisitii!." 1 n. l .l.i .!? llt . i I"'. ' !! i.l l. l.l' !. .1 A, IMIMl'll. in il ,l , (mka. Neb, HI' i' 'AFile! St! n t'J f ff ? A 1 ateairiwirtr 1 3lisJliv I HC JoblPrinting Of this office has lately added a complete assort ment of the most effective styles of type and borders to be found in the market. i Our Facilitiesn Art rTTPST and those who want work done in an artistic and up-to-date manner will not be disappointed ' if they leave their order at this office. Our Work and I I w 4c Will please you. Send in your orders. The Independent Publishing Co., U20 M Street. Phone 538. SfgWO JOB TOO BIG FOR USrS WHEN IN LINCOLN I extern,- wr;'''f 1 137 South Eleventh St., Lincoln, Neb. Compound Oxygen FOR DISORDERS OF THE BLOOD AND DIGESTIVE TROUBLES Special Attention Given KIHBALL BROS., ; Wholeiaie and Itetail Dealer. MftRBLe, GRftNITe and SLftTe for building god cemetery work, Severtl hundred finished ' Monument of modern deaign ftlwsys on hand. SAVE MIDDLE MAN'S PROFIT AND DEAL DIRECT. ... i Write for cute and price. A personal call preferred. Address, Cor, ijtb and O St., The Farmer's Exchange 231 NORTH TENTH STREET, LINCOLN, Will Have on Sale This week: 1 CO lb sfwk rst I'uncak Flour I .75 1 sm k txt Hall Patent 1.20 . 1 sink good llroad Floor 1.10 1 sack tlnnst llixb PaUiut (nothing bettor) 1.JI0 4 can KuKr Cora 25 n can best tomato .25 H ciid best lWhft 25 20 lbs kooi) Hiifrar.......... 1.00 10 lis koo1 Cofl' M l.(M) llblliittlaAi Tobacco 20 lib II. H. Tobacco 10 lbs band picked Itaan 1 gallon HuirarDrlp Kjrrup 1 buikot 10 lb Duck wheat Flour for H lb piira M " 1 barml Wliinaap or Jenatoo All Ooodaj CJlMMip at IVorlliXoiitU Htrnot J". W. XXAnTIiDY, Agont. , aWJaajUaekBjBeWJaBJCZIM Found s he best The best hand Neeeasels Our Majestic Coal Is food; ttffL. Union (111 H W NEBRASKA HAY CO., lU ITU II Hay.amln nnti Mill Foodo, Balo-TIca Uth .oi KkhoUi 8U., OMAHA, NLQ PATROP ZE nCTT Department i I rr a;si wnpic i fi tw. Prices STOCKMEN STOPATTHH O. C. DELL, Men. - to Chronic Diseases LINCOLN, NED. 40 .25 .25 .45 .25 .25 Appls., 1.75 place to trade j j j grades of Coal always on our White Ash will suit you Phone 335 Fuel Co., 1016 0 St. X : CAPITAL HOTEL OUR T l ay ear iiberf iplioft.