NATIONALISING RAILROADS IN AMERICA.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 6059, 19 September 1894, Page 3

NATIONALISING RAILROADS IN AMERICA.

em Bays the Philadelphia Inquirer :— ■" One result of the presont railroad strike will bo to convince many heretofore sceptical persons that it will be necessary to put all railways under national oontrol. This subjeot has oome up often of recent years, and has gradually gained gronnd. On general principles it is not a good idea, but this strike is so senseless, so useless, that it may well alarm thoughtful men. Ihe civil and military authorities have so far proven entirely inadequate to cope with the rioters. Property is being destroyed, oommeroe is being impeded, and great hardships are being' forced on innocent persons. There are m this country nearly one million railway emploj&s, whioh is abont onethirteenth of the adult male population. At least half a million persons are employed m I furnishing materials and supplies to the railways, so that it is the. largest industry m the country outside of 'agriculture. Ihe evil results of a concerted strike at tbe great railway centre at Ohioago hare beoome painfully apparent m the la.t few days, and something must be done to prevent a recurrence of suoh scenes. The direot length of railways m the country is now over 180,000 miles. The difficulties iv the way of putting this immense business m the hands of the Government are great; and the danger of so greatly extending the office-holding olass is plain, but agita tion will surely increase. In France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Bussia, and other European countries the railways are largely owned by the Government, and all are under its direot oontrol. This works better than might be supposed, because the Government undertook the work at the start and the system has grown under its direot supervision. It seems almost impossible to place all the railways m tbis country m direct possession of the Government, but it is quite possible that a set of laws oan be framed whioh will inorease Government supervision and limit the present dangers. The Indianapolis Nonconformist says : — Tba. Government ownership of railroads is the way out is being made plainer every day. Tbe gigantio consolidations of many lines under one management, whioh has been a marked feature of the last decade, shows a tendency whjoh can only end m ons general head for all. Huntington, man interview some time ago, said the railroads would be better off with only one president, The general publio agrees with this, but disagrees as to the name of the president. If you oall bim Vanderbilt, or Gould, or Huntington, or Boberts, Fo ! If you say TJnole Sam, all will exolaim, Tes,