DEBATE OF FEBRUARY 27, 1889.Question: "Resolved, Should railroads be owned and managed by the State?"

Brief for the Affirmative.W. R. Bigelow and J. P. Nields.

Best general reference: Harper's Monthly, vol. 73, pp. 450, 457, and 571-578. Fortnightly Review, vol. 20, p. 557.

I. The constitutional right rests upon the expediency of government ownership.- Constitution, art. 1, sec 8; Hamilton's Work, vol. 4, pp. 109-111.

II. The advantages of state ownership are: (1) A comprehensive and harmonious system of railways throughout the country.- Report of the Interstate Commerce Commission for 1888, p. 239. (2) Better railway service, better time, better accommodations, fewer accidents.- Harper's, vol. 73, p. 451. (3). Low and regular rates.- Fortnightly Review, vol. 46, p. 683; ibid. vol. 20. p. 562.

III. State ownership would do away with the existing evits. (1) The combinations of private corporations.- North American Review, vol. 112, (Jan.) p. 6. (2) The waste of national resources (a) in unnecessary competition.- Hadley, Railroad Transportation, pp. 82-100; (a) in land grants.- North American Review, vol. 136, pp. 257-260. (3) Discriminations. Hudson, The Railways and the Republic, pp. 25-105, 155-187. (4) Gambling in railroad stocks.- Hadley, pp. 40-62. (5) Control of political action.- Hudson, pp. 450-479.

IV. Railroads are now falling into the hands of a great monopoly.- Senate Report for 1886, pp. 54-57.

V. All partial measures of government regulation are bound to fail.- Hadley, p. 173.

VII. State ownership is a necessity.

Brief for the Negative.E. L. Jellinek and C. D. Wetmore.

Best general references: Jevons "The Railways and the State," in "Methods of Social Reform," pp. 353-383; article on "Transportation" in Lalor's Cyclopedia, III, 928.

I. Government intervention should not be applied to transportation.- Lalor, II, 380-385.

II. Railroads do not fulfil the conditions of successful management.- Jevons.