New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-15

rao.aa ., nublic exnense where any loss has been
| incurred In their operation. working peop'e
| prefer them TO model tenements estaphsheu W
| private enterprise or benefcence ana IL Il P
| haps a safe inference that municipal ownership
| influences this choice. They may not thihh very
deeply on the subject. but apparently they co"-
! slider 1t a proper policy for the municipai govern
ment to provide decent and comfortable dwen-
| ings for working people and to let theNh d. ~"
rates
PUBLIC BATHS.
The three towns. Huddershed, BRADFORD anu
Leeds have adopted the system OF puohc pains
and washhouses. which has promoted pupn'
health IN all overcrowded English cities. The
baths are admirably managed very popular anu
also very cheap. If the financial receipts are not
eoual 10 the expenses, the sanitary results wouid
| he cheap at any cost The washhouses were de-
signed for the use Of women who did not nave
facilities for laundry work at home, ana WIN
were enabled to hire stalls provided with not anu
cold water With the improvement In 'he 'ene
ments and with the condemnation ana removal
| Of uninhabtable houses, the deiIahu ioi ~
public laundries has fallen on, ana the eNP''
ment Is now regarded by many municipal ieioi'"
ers as one Of doubtful utility. The puphc pa'"s'
however are receiving every year larger pa'-
ronage and are among the most usefui OF the
new municipal institutions
These three Yorkshire towns have greatly EN-
larged the area Of their public parks and pleasure
grounds. Leeds having been particularly enter
prising In this respect. With the exception Vi
Huddersfied, they have free municipal Libraries
and art galleries, and all have technical Schools
supported mainly by the taxpayers. If not under
the direct management of the town authorities
They also have markets slaughter-houses ana
cemeteries under conditions Of municipal owner
ship and control Each of these towns mas
adopted costly Improvement schemes by which the
sums have been invaded. large areas In over
! crowded districts acquired by the corporation ana
new streets opened and built up. These measures
were essential to the maintenance or pubic
health and the marked decrease in the mortaiity
rates has INDICATED the judgment and courage OF
municipal reformers.
INCREASED TAX RATES.
Taxpayers in these Yorkshire towns have felt
/ the burdens Of municipal progress. Hudders-
/ fields rates have been nearly doubled Bradford
pays over six shlllings to the pound. when Is
very large increase over the rates OF twenty years
ago, Leeds has debt of s2OOOO,OOO, and taxation
| IS higher than II was. These towns have not done
so we'll as Glasgow and Birmingham In the man.
aeement of town finances. Many land owners
and householders who feel the pinch when they
nav their taxes are inclined to shake their heads
ominousy and to declare that the Town Councils
have gone too far in many directions and paid
altogether too much attention to faddists -
which is probably the most overused OF the IL"
words in the English vocabulary Much criticism
OF the same general tenor is expended upon the
Countv and Parish councils. which have recently
been reorganized on a more democratic OASIS
and the opinion is frequently expressed that pup
| lie discomfort with the work Of these local couh-
ellis was one of the main causes OF the recent pot-
teal revolution. As a matter OF fact. the new
councils with few exceptions, were recruited rom
! the same influential classes which had previously
ordered and supervised the operations OF local
government There new machinery. but ad-
o,nistrative mower remained in the hands which
hod haen theoretically and successfully directing
II FOR many wears.
Progressive local government such as IL no"
known in these Yorkshire towns Is expensive
Great municipal debts have been created and
the interest charges and sinking funds have 10
be carried Water supplies cannot be enlarged
nor gas works purchased. nor extensive drain
age works carried out nor street railways con-
I structed and equipped. nor large portions OF the
populous districts municipalized and rebuilt WITH
out additional cost to the taxpayer. But when
the municipal finances OF these towns are ahai-
wed the fact is disclosed that the local debts
nave Deen GOiItu UP IldiIli! -
nublic works which were practically indispen-
sable What are known as "fads'-such as wash
houses technical schools. municipal lodging
houses and model tenement-houses- respon-
s,bIe for very small proportion of the local In
dehtedness The great sources Of municipal
debt have been the water and gas supply the
drainage works, the construction OF Uam"a|S
and corporation Improvement schemes Nios'
Of these undertakings are already remuneratlNe'
and all were imperatively needed. The re-
markable reduction Of the mortality wherever
| the overcrowded districts have been transformed
into corporation streets leaves nothing 10 De SAL.
against the practical wisdom Of the statesman
like municipal policy introduced in Glasgow and
Birmingham
SOCIALISM AND PHILANTHROPY
Another objection that is often raised against
the new municipal socialism is that II tends 10
discourage philanthropic organization ana EFFORT
II the town governments have their own free IL
braries art galleries. technical schools mode
lodging houses, baths and convalescent homes
the surplus wealth of the world will not be put 10
good USE That is an argument that Is otteh
heard in England among people OF conservative
instincts: but II is not a forcible one. The cost
Of these municipal institutions is not great Tor
most Of them already self-supportlng'
The great point In favor Of municipal owner
ship is superiority of management Inc III
come is regularly supplied, the institutions are
under constant supervision Of Town Council COM
mittees; and the practical management Is more
methodica thorough and economical than 1t Is IN
similar institutions supported by private bene-
factions. Nothing could be more satisfactory IN
its operation than the free municipal library
as 1t is now found in hundred English cities
Why should great towns wait for millionaires 70
be generous even IL the validity OF their pequests
can be guaranteed without reserve. wheh IL II
possible for any town. by an insigmhcaht auui-
ton TO the tax rate, to open and MAINTAIN Tree
,nrpicinal ihrarie art galleries, technical