Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1917 — Strong National Credit Would Result in Saving if Government Owned Roads „ [ARTICLE]

Strong National Credit Would Result in Saving if Government Owned Roads „

By Col. Smith W. Brookhart

One billion two “hundred million “economic saving" would result from ' government railroad ownership. The saving would be made possible by government credit, since the government can borrow money for less , interest than anyone else. Even ts fhc roads cost the government $15.333,333,000—the full amount of their capitalization, water and all—and even if the interest rate should rise to 3y 2 per cenU the'annual saving to the government would be $500,000,000. . v Fifteen governments now own th vr railroads, in whole or in part. In all thestf countries labor is treated better than under private ownership Service u better, and there is more safety/ ’■