The
time had now come when some radical measures must be adopted to preserve
and extend civilization. The labor party were abusing their power still
more in making bad laws, and strikes became more frequent, and were
followed by rioting and bloodshed. At length the interruptions to business
occasioned by the irregularities in traveling became unbearable. The
public demanded better service, but the railroad companies were powerless
to render it, being in the hands of the employees, who at the slightest
grievance would stop every wheel till the dispute was settled. The trouble
generally started with one road and spread to the others by sympathy, and
the result was just as disastrous to business whether the men gained their
end or not.
"There had always been a party, although at times pretty feeble, in favor
of government control of the entire transportation business. This party
now argued that that was the only thing that would cure these evils, and
they gained thereby many new adherents. When it was considered that
government ownership of the telegraph was working well in spite of many
adverse prophecies, the people began to entertain the idea that it would
perhaps be best to try the experiment with the railroads, especially as it
gave some promise of relief from the strikes.
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