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About The independent. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1906)
PAGE 2 C6e Nobrasktx Independent JANUARY 25, 1906 age citizen, when given a chance, declares himself in favor of public ownership. .Disregarding the views of machine politicians, he they humble city councilmen or United Stabs senators, it is well to inquire why such a learned man as President Eliot asserts that corporations do the public service work better and cheaper than it would be done by lhe state or city. Public ownership abroad has proved the contrary to be true. In his address at Denver recently Mayor Dunne of Chicago said that a few years ago he sent a telegraph message from Interlakcn . to Lurcerne in Switzerland for eight cents. Astounded at the small ness of the charge, he made inquiry and found that Switzerland owned and operated its telegraph system. Upon pursuing his in vestigation he ascertained that every civilized country except three Honduras, Costa Rico and the United States owned and operated its own telegraph system. He further discovered that in many coun tries the railroads, street car systems, gas and electric light systems and the telephone systems, wcro being operated by the public. In the following words Mayor Dunne described accurately present con ditions in this country under. private ownership: When one seeks to do business with his butcher, bis grocer, his dry Bood'a merchant, his doctor, his lawyer, or his plumber, he stands at arm's length and has the right to make a free and voluntary contract. If the character of the goods that he seeks to purchase Is not satisfactory or the price is unreasonable, he may go elsewhere. He is not bound to dea with any one person or corporation in the purchase of such necessities of life. But when he comes to utilize the telegraph, the telephone, the street car, the steam railway car, to purchase gas or electric light, he finds him self deprived of the right of free contract. He must take such service as Is offered him and pay the price demanded. If his gas is of deficient quality or the price is too high, he must either pay his bill or have his meter jerked out. If his telephone service is unsatisfactory or the price unreasonable, he must stand and deliver or have his telephone wires cut. If he objects to the service given him upon a street car or to the price charged, he must either pay or be thrown off. In other words, in deal ing with public utility companies and in purchasing from them these latter day necessaries of life, he is deprived of the right of free contract and must take such service as is offered and pay the price demanded. He Is face to face with a monopoly and individual protest or objection as against such a monopoly Is absolutely unavailing. , Anitnig the most servile peoples of Europe those indignities are not tolerated. Even Russia owns its railways and parcels post system, and many Russian cities own and operate their public utili ties. Here in free America, however, where men boast that every Citizen is a sovereign and where the spirit of independence is sup posed to be inherent, the city dwellers are robbed, insulted, bull dozed and browbeaten by the private owners of public utilities. In the cities the vieiousness of monopoly is brought home to the people with stinging force. When they resent these insults and indignities and suggest that public ownership would remedy the evil, such men as President Eliot cooly inform them that their form of government is so defective and the people themselves arc so rottenly corrupt that public ownership, is bound to prove worse than private ownership. "Tho corporations do such work cheaper and better," says the learned educator. Tho corporations rob and insult their patrons. Could public ownership do worse? The public service corporation ia a monopoly in private hands and tho charges for service arc monopoly , charges. Under public ownership tho charges would be dictated by the cost of operating the plant, and even the limited ex perience of American cities has taught that the charges under public ownership decreaso from 25 to 50 per cent. , It is true that public ownership would not give the citizen the privilege of free contract, but wherever public ownership has been tried in American cities the people have not been robbed, nor have they been subjected to insult and indignity. The service has in- , variably lccn better and cheaper in spite of the misrepresentations of a subsidized press and the academic inexperience of theorizing educators. v ,1 jl ' RAILWAY AND REVENUE It did not take the Purlingtoirs general solicitor long to decide that the tax case should -be appealed to tho United States supreme court. This means that the case will not lie finally determined for several years. Meanwhile, there is abundant time for tho railways to strengthen their bold on .Nebraska politics, and meanwhile tho people will continue to pay their taxes and a portion of the taxes that should U paid by the Turlington and Union Pacific railway companies.' So pleased are some of the Nebraska editors with tin tMM success in winning a favorable decision from the United States court . that they are suggesting Norris Prown for senator, and Treasurer Mortonsen for governor. Treasurer Mnrtensen U a member of tho state loard that usscsmxI the railway of Xebranku at $10,000,000 less than their true valuation, and the newspaper reports which ap peared while the state board was in session represented Treasurer. Mortensen as opposed to a higher assessment of railway property. A few nights ago Attorney General Brown, in an address de livered before the state historical society, discussed the various ..methods of determining railway values for taxation purposes. Ho showed that by the stocks and bonds test "a certain railroad" in Nebraska should be valued at $103,000 a mile and by the net earn ings 'test at $02,000 a mile, and yet that" "certain road" was valued by the state board at $55,000 a mile in 1904. Although this certain road the Union Pacific was assessed by the state board at only fifty-five or sixty per cent of its real value it went into federal court and secured an injunction restraining the collection of taxes from tliis road in the various counties of Nebraska. In 1904 the total assessed value of the stae, including rail ways, was $294,779,244.05; in 1905, $304,470,475.35. In 1904' the railroads of Nebraska wcro assessed at nearly $47,000,000; in 1905 at $47,294,970.35. Compare the percentages of increase and then meditate upon how well the state board of assessment did its duty, and do not forget that whereas the levy in 1903 was five mills, it was seven mills in 1905. The report of Union Pacific earnings for 1905 shows thaf its net earnings increased $3,000,000 over 1904. .Capitalized at four per cent this would give the road an increased value of $75,000,000, and at six per cent an increased value of $50,000,000. If one-third of $50,000,000 be assigned to Nebraska the increased value of Union Pacific inthis state for 1905 was $10,0GG,006, according to tho net earnings test. The state board, however, made only a comparatively, slight increase in the Union Pacific assessment. These are figures ignored by machine politicians when they con gratulate themselves and the state upon the. assessment board's valu ation of railway property in Nebraska. Governor Mickey, who has always been a staunch defender of. the revenue law, was led away by enthusiasm when he heard . of Judge Munger"s decision against the Burlington and made this statement: It is certainly the most successful piece of legislation ever attempted in this state. It has resulted in the increase of our grand assessment roll from $184,000,000 in 1903 to $305,000,000 in 1905, and has provided the necessary funds with which to meet the expenses of the government and a residue for the gradual extinguishment of the state debt. What more glory could attach to it? This statement was made by the governor ;in face of the fact that the state debt has increased $100,000 during the last year. Is it glory, or is it disgrace, that whereas in 1903 the people were called upon to pay only $920,0000 as taxes and the enormous sum of $2,131,000 in 1905, the state debt was actually increased in 1905 ? In spite of the fact that tho people were taxed twice as much iii 1905 as in 1903 the state debt has been increased because of the extrava gance of the last legislature. The legislature of 1902-3 appropriated $2,875,289.51; the legislature of 1904-5 appropriated $3,740,280.70. J j to WAIT Jacob Riis, the noted author, who is one of President Roosevelt' closest friends, and a devoted admirer, has made a remarkable state ment. "If President Roosevelt feels that it is his duty to the people to accept a renomination for the presidency, he willdo so," declares Mr. Riis. It is not to Ik) supposed that this statement is inspired by tho president, who, with the utmost sincerity, announced immediately after his election, that he would not accept another term. If the president harbors any ambition to be president for a longer period than any of his predecessors, he has doubtless kept tho secret even from his dear friend and chum, Mr.. Riis. On the other hand, it is improbable that Mr. Riis would speak as he did unless he felt that he was rightly interpreting the unexpressed desire which sympathetic friendship understands without the telling. Mr. Riis said in his .interview: "Roosevelt is fightim- tho greatest tyrant of them all. Slavery affected only the south, but the money power moans the enslavement of all human beings and all homes." If by electing Roosevelt president in 190S the people could overthrow the tyrant, or if they could even bgin a reconstruction that would lead eventually to the tyrant's dethronement, undoubted ly tho president could rely on the people for their support. Put U it not rather early to decide what champion shall be invited to b -id the jHxnde on to victory i The squadron are gathering for the bat tie; there is blare of trumjH ts and flirting of banners and much bruve tulk and many loud execration, but the preliminary battle U v t to be fought. The people would do well to await the political lm ang or -Mukden Ik fore dtvidmg who shall lead in thi cre it e.,.