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The Commoner
' s VOL. 18, NO. 1
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DuaJ Ownership vs.:
Federal Ownership
Tho successful management of tho railroad
systems of tho country during tho war is quite
oilro to ftiriiluh a final and coiicIubIvo argument
Mi ravor or government ownership and It is
worth while, therefore, to consider tho largo
auaBliona Involved In govcrnm6nt ownership.
Whllo tho President's authority over the rall-
roads Is a war power and will tormlnato with
tho ond of the war, tho lessons learned aro not
likely td bo forgotton.
, TJn growth of sontlmont in favor of public
ownership Js duo In largo part to throo things.
First, to tho economic advantages to bo found
In tho elimination of watered stock and of tho
Wasto caused by tho duplication of roads bc
tweon compoting points. Second, to the resist
ance offered by railroad managers to efforts at
offoctlvo legislation. Third, to tho corrupting
influonco of tho railroads, not only upon legis
lators and other ofllcials, "but also upon young
men who, In their ambition to securo lucratlvo
railroad positions, separate themselves from tho
mass of tho pcoplo, and mso thoir influence to
shiold tho railroads from needed supervision.
- Tho country has boon passing through tho
sanio oxporionco with ralhoad corporations that
cities havo had with frapchlse-holding corpora
tions, and are bolng driven to government own
ership as a mattor of self protection. The war
has simply made raoro plain tho evils insepar
ably connootud with privato ownership, just as
it has made more eloar tho necessity for tho
abolition of tho saloon. While tho war lasts
unity of management is necessary; and there is
iiottlmo for careful consideration of tho ques
tions which muBMjo weighed before a permanent
-system can bo decided upon.
Bolicvlng that government ownership and op
oration of railroads will bo tho natural outcome
of tho President's action in taking over. -tho
manngomont of tho railroads during tho war I
vonturo to outlino a plan which will, in my judg
ment, give to tho nation all tho advantages
which can bo dorivod from fodoral ownership
and operation of all tho roads, and, at tho same
tlrao, avoid tho dangers involved in such fed
oral ownership, viz.: A dual plan under which
tho federal-government will own and operate a
system of trunk linos running into every state
(and oxcopt in tho case of border states .through
tho states) with tho states owning the local
A 11 OS
The ownership and operation of all lines by
tho fodoral government would not only enor
mously increaso tho number of employees di
rected from Washington, but would go far to
ward obliterating state lines.
Our nation has boon described as "an indis
soluble union of indestructible states," and no
bettor description has boon given. If tho state
a to remain indestructiblo1ts activities should
bo increased rather than diminished. The own
ership of intra-stato lines by the states woufd
' 8r,!?tIy fe,treethen tho positions of tho rtates
without in tho least lessening the advantage! of
go vornmont 'ownership and operation , of tho rail-
Each state, having access to a federal trunk
ino connecting It with every other state would
be ablo to collect all merchandise intended ?or
other markets and to forward it on n truni i!
for distribution in other states or in ?orein
countries am it would also bo able .to take from
th0 runk tnes. merchandise from witw
Hor"" a,StrlbUt U t0 any Po"nt wUh?E
This Independence would put it in position to
deal advantageously with neighbor states and
such states would find it to their mutual advant
ago to arrango for shipmont over loWi iKL
meeting at state boundaries. ?n Europe tad?
pendent nations aro ablo to join in traffic nr"
rangemen s in spite of differences in gownmSt
and even in language; how much easieVit ouSt
to be for our states to act in harmony g
Tho dualplan has three advantages nvor ,
nla.n involving tho federal ownership of aTl ifi
Pint, tho federal investment wonlfi be SSi
much less. It would cost a very uL 1 J 7
purchase, even at a just price all th i5?
of the United States. The S plan woum'llmi?
tho investment to the amount necessary to buy
or build a system of trunk lines.
Second, tho dual plan would accommodate
itself to public sentiment in tho various states.
In some sections of the country the sentiment in
favor of government ownership is much stronger
than in other sections. The dual plan would
permit the government ownership of local llpes
In states desiring it, while states not ready for
government ownership could leave the local
lines In tho hands of privato corporatfons as
they now are. Privately owned local lines be
ing ablo to connect with a federal trunk line
would havo an outlet for freight and passenger
trafllc and be set free from the coercion which
has been a considerable factor in the consolida
tion of railroad systems. v ,
Third, the ownership and operation of local
lines by the several states would give an oppor
tunity for greater initiative and for a compar
ison of ideas which would be helpful in perfect
ing) railroad operation.
If it Is contended that federal ownership of
all lines Is necessary in time of war, a sufficient
answor is found in the right of congress to re
serve to tho President in time of war the same
authority over state systems that he now has
over railroad corporations.
W. J. BRYAN.,
LIBERTY BONDS SHOULD BE PROTECTED
On another page will be found an editorial
suggestion copied from the Sacramento Bee.
Brother McClatchey is right. The Liberty Bonds
should bo protected not 'by making it unlaw
ful to sell such bonds below par, as a bill in
troduced in congress provided but my making
them redeemable upon notice, like the war sav
ing certificates. To prohibit their sale below
par would be likely to discourage subscriptions
to future issues; while a law providing for re
demption on notice would Increase the demand
for them.
These bonds, while a good investment, are
taken more as a matter of patriotism than as a
matte" of business, and the government should
protect those who come to its rescue.
IT MAKES ONE SMILE
A Russian paper is either guilty of a bit of
humor or it has discovered something quite
funny, namely, a copy of instructions given by
the German government to the officials who se
lected men to treat with the Russian representa
tives. They are told to select only "serious
minded men with control of facial muscles." A
wise precaution, for it is difficult for any one to
Keep from smiling when he reads the terms pro
posed by the German government.
NEW YORK LEARNS A LESSON
? ?tnothf Paee will be found an interesting
news item from New York to the effect that
Mayor-elect Hylan has secured from Gov Whit
man a promise to support a measure requiring
tI1a vc? l5Silnof ca:nPaiEn contributions FIVE
DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION. Thus is an-
other democratic policy vindicated. It was the
XEH f,Und 8pent in behalf of candidate
Mitchel that aroused the public. New York is
learning. " ,a
New Custodians: of
the Ark
The submission of the federal amendment is
a very serious thing; it r rings the country to
the threshold of national prohibition' we aro
soon to have a saloonloss land. But, serious as
the situation is, the booze makers are adding a
touch of comedy to it they have seized upon
the doctrine of state's rights, and are carrying
it asa sort of "Ark of the Covenant." What
a sight the master of the vat a'nd the manip
ulator of the still acting as the self-appointed
custodians of the sacred symbols of the common
wealth, while the . subsidized newspaper joins
the bar Vum, the bloat, and sots in gutteral ap
plause. And these representatives of the drink traffic
are the very people who have for a generation
trampled upon the rights of every unit, large
and smalj, that has opposed the saloon. They
now seek refuge in the state, but it is only a
few years ago that they opposed (on the ground
that it was unconstitutional) the Webb-Konyon
law which made it possible for each state to
borders USe f liqUr ,WlthIn its
It was this' same crowd that glorified the
county unit in order to defeat state prohibition
in Texas and Kentucky-The same c?owd that
under a fraudulent plea for home rule, urged
. town or township option as against county op-
nloVA,01?0' Indiana ad Michiganthe same
crowd that opposed even town option in New
Jersey and, Pennsylvania.
maL aG aS. dh2n,est In their pretended so
licitude for state's rights today as they were
?n tutfy chamPioned smaller units their only
real solicitude is for themselves and for tho
money they make out of their business
n. ,??y arL no longer able t"0 deceive their
methods .have been exposed.
The southern democrats, the special cham-
sion? Viiin Sgbt8' lGd V fl -FloVidZ
? Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi,
Son Mp If 8 TGd Spidly for sub:
sion. More than two-thirds of the democrats
in congress voted in the affirmation, aT did a
rrS fnS,erpePcentage of the southern demo
national rnhiwSate and hUSe' Opposition Si
national prohibition is strongest where the
state's rights doctrine is weakest, and weakest
where that doctrine is strongest In er
words, opposition to prohibition is, a a rule
dUSSS?011 .t0 thG nUmber of ewlries aid
Se rihL nf h ?roportion t0 attachment to
tne rights of the states. Those who most an-
preciate the state's part fa our governmental
ZhTV. least willinS t0 allow In?hon
Bhieid ttCtRrn?e ofte;s rtSAts to be need to
Snnlp n frm the risInS Wrath Of the
people' W. J. BRYAN.
The announcement that whisky-makinir has
stopped at the distilleries would seenTS Vindicate
ty to Vn ,ige-ntS WI! rejoiced ln their aWl!
winked out Wrkin& nightS has rea"y
THE PRESIDENT SAVES SUFFRAGE
The President's endorsement of the suffrace
amendment saved the day. He brought to tho
support of the movement enough wavlring dem
ocrats to carry the amendment "over the toT"
It was a great victory for a great cause.
Mr. Roosevelt's attack on the President iw
not urging universal military training as I t
manent policy is either an evidence of a'persnl
nL vatmd U!at outweiShs his patriotism? or u
proves' that he wants to establish here the mil
itarism that has made Germany the Bsau
among the nations. W Lsau
With the new issue of $5 haby bonds everv-
ouhavwT t0 8aVlDg f0r Uncle BamJE
out having to worry over his bank account
These boar an interest rate of 4.42 per cent ami
give a chance to the humblest pf us to invest to
some really profitable patriotism.
If we are to judge by the rapacitv of Rnn,n
"No more secret treaties" is a michtv irnoil
LeaoP, an V1" "freedom of the S to nSS
'e Tliese two conditions, -fflth "reduc
tion f armament." will come' nlar insurC
AN ANALYSIS OP MB. BRYAN
On another page will be found an editorial
from the Lewiston (Me.) Journal enUtled "Co? '
ST- i" ,LeSBt0n" " was written by a brother
of the late Hon. Nelson Dineley wlm ,IZ 7.1.
SS?',0.!?? tarM law whicSpreJded STaK
rich tariff law. Editor Dinaley is thfl aLt
It AT"1,,1"5."0 00ri,s ln the umed statls be
oul tehd1to0r?ae18tWo0rVather the ta -"--
frQftRt?drr a" that h6 8aesSHyhJs con
trasts and comparisons but am mLt Si tSS
wh0!00,8 at publ,c questions from the E
comeoTaleai sfflrS
W.J.,BRYAN.
. HbiL&sigtt