Show I r I r I I I PUBLIC SHOULD r OWN RAILWAYS I II Speech pech ph of Patterson Patt r on of Color Cola Colaro rado ro rp o in the Senate enate Upon Bill Bil Introduced by y Him INDULGES IN A PROPHECY PRESENTS fIG R FROM f OM NINE NINETEEN NINEr TEEN Tg N Washington Feb IT Senator Patter Patterson son lion of or Col Colorado or add addressing the tho senate to today today today day made a plea pica for tor government owner ownership ownership ownership ship of railroads railroad I lie He a predicted such a ja condition would be brought about the lifetime of th present members mem ers of or orI the se ate but did not anticipate any orv speedy action in that direction Tile The railroads Jt he declared were grow growing ing lug more arrogant each year and as I he tie saw little or no relief relict in the new rate law government of the roads would Voul supply th t the only remedy To 70 show the tho value of or his words Mr lr Patterson presented p figures from nineteen coun countries countries countries tries showing the presence of govern m nt ownership in some ome form torm and he saw jIW A steadily increasing sentiment in that direction so far as the tho United States Stat is 19 concerned American roads he valued lIned at between and Ind They could be obtained by b condemnation proceedings pro the financial end being cov cot covered cove ered e d by bj a mortgage back by b the govern governments governments ments guarantee Mr Patterson ridiculed the idea that a avast vast political p l machine would be built up through federal operation of railroads As a matter of ot fact railroad politics polities would be abolished Among the benefits to be gainell through the ownership Mr Ir Patterson latterson mentioned extension ion of or the th postal system a postal express exp 58 and equit equitable equitable t table able rates Advocated His Own Bill Mr Ir Pattersons remarks were ed cd on a bill recently introduced by lIy him providing for the acquisition of or tho the rail railroads railroads railroads roads of the country countr by h the government Regardless of or the th efforts rf cf congress to the railroads the power and an purposes of the great railroad have haye not changed asserted Mr Patterson The They have hae increased in Jower aggressiveness and in in utter indifference indifference ference ferenee to public rights The rhe railroad rate law he regarded as presenting little promise e of or relief This legislation ho lie continued was forced on tho the railroads by h the tho pressure of public sentiment and when hen It became plain to the th people that no relief has resulted UN th same Kama pressure pre ure will wUl accomplish govern government ment ownership fr J Patterson quoted the supreme court that a railroad is a public highway and arid none hone the less so because constructed and maintained through tho th agency of a cor car corporation deriving Its existence and power from the tha th state Such JI a corporation Willi created for tor public purposes It performs a function of at the state On the fa fact t that railroad exercise a function of the hc government Oto he said depend dept nd the rights of ot the people with re regard regard regard gard to the ownership and operation of the tile roads Some Figures Given Mr Patterson Patteson Patte on presented a table show ing ipg the attitude of countries c toward railroads Of these government ownership obtains to a 11 greater or less ex cx extent tent in and is exclusive in twentynine Private ownership obtains In and II in exclusive in five e This Thie Mr r Patterson Pallet son said hows that the th con cony and ownership of railroads 1 I is really the business of governments as of ot the democracies d and two lao thirds of or the monarchies of or the world own railroad raIlroads The United States Stotts government Mr 1 r Pat Patterson PatI Patterson terson maintained could acquire exist ng tig railroads by b condemnation proceed proceedings ced ings under the post road clause He lie sup I this contention alto alo by b supreme court decisions Not only the roads but corporate franchises he mid faid could thus l he be e acquired by condemnation As to compensation Mr con contended contended contended tended that the stock and bond holders hoMers of or tee roads road ought to be paid till fun value for or their holdings The full tull value of all an American rowls lie be placed at between and His Ilie sug So fo 0 financing the governments goern ent of the roads was by a u mort mortgage mortgage gage backed by government guarantee which work Ork out by ly having stock slack and bond holders exchange holdings for or government bonds He lie believed this exchange be so attractive as to secure to tIn the government practically practical all aU private railroad hol holdings haloing lm Political Machine Idea The Tho idea that government ownership would result in a political machine by ly bythe bythe lythe the combination of or was scouted by t Mr Ir Patterson At the outset he hc sug aug no radical change should bo be ma mae made le lein in methods of Rates should be fixed by b the Interstate commerce commission and a division of ot transportation tion should be he established to conduct the actual operation of the roads The fhe re reforms forms that would follow follo would be large economies to the freight shipper and re r of the passenger rate It woul permit of or extending the postal F system and establishing a postal 1 It would guarantee the adoption of or all alt known appliances and the best beat signal pensions would be paid and new flew and needed lines line could be he built l Railway polities politics would be bl abolished and equilibrium of ot power between the stale state the govern govero 1 mCI Ind the people restored Reforms In ratemaking rat by II adopting the th zone Eg system tem tm and aunt In freight classification would Government ownership need reed not he said prevent private construction of ot load oad |