Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-02-02
BOSTON.

notwithstanding the inclemenny Of the
weather goodly audience attended the
socialist meeting on Sunday even
ing. Mr. John \. Lee, who has been
for years a close observer Of the devel-
opment Of socialism, gave an interesting
address on the subject Of TRUSTS" 1t
is his opinion that we are rapidly APP
preaching an autoCratic socialism from
which will evolve peaceahIy or forcibly,
the cooperative commonwealth of the
whole people. During the discussion
which followed reference was made to
the West End street railway and its use
Of the public streets. The audience, as
result Of the discussion, resolved that
the streets should be exclusively public
property, and that the city Of Boston
should appropriate under the right Of
eminent domain the West End street
railway system,
One Of the Nationalists will be the
speaker next Sunday evening.
A lecture by Mr.. Sylvester Baxter, a
member Of the Nationalist Club, on
'Berlin's City Government was deliv-
cred at the Old South Church on Mon
day evening. The lecture was a splen-
did illustration Of what the people can do
for themselves when they try Perhaps
the most interesting portion was the re-
| ply to Hadley's article in the last POtticdj
| Science Qudrteriy. wherein the young
| professor endeavOrs to prove that
public enterprise is more costly than
that of the individual, Hadley main
| tains that the Western Union Telegraph
is as perfect as can be under the crcum-
stances, and compares the English rail
way system with the German, to the
disadvantages of the latter. Said Mr..
| BaXtcr:
Neither Of Prof. lladley's examples
good, or correctly cited He is in disin-
! genuous in comparing the English and
! German railway system. His deduc-
ton would have fallen to the ground
had he compared the German railway
system since its naturalization with its
condition under private management.
| 1t is now more efficient and gives a
| cheaper and better service than before;
and when compared with the English,
although inferior in speed, the German
railways ars superior in comfort. Prof.
liadley's citation of the Western Union
Telegraph Company is Infectious. Its
patrons would probably tell different
story. Even my own limited experience
is unfavorable, for have repeatedly had
messages go astray, and others delivered
days behind time. lSit not reasonable
to suppose that the national government
could duplicate the Western Union sys-
TEN, which has to earn dividends on an
| enormous amount of watered stock, that
have to be paid for at the public charge,
and transact without loss the telegraph
business Of the country at a far less cost
and with greater efficiency? Tie eff
cheney of the German postal telegraph
and telephone service indicates that it
could.
"Prof. lIadley takes the usual short
sighted policy Of the iui%Sez fare school
Of political economists in assuming that
because government business has been
usually conducted at greater cost than
private business it must always continue
to be- lie dees not seem to consider that a
civil service can be improved and con
Quoted upon businesslike principles.
Nothing would conduce to this more than
its extension, for the broader the service
the more immediate would be the popular
interest in having it efficient, and prog
ress is as possible with national organ
ization as it is with private corporations
or individuals,