New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-20

In Scotch town like Dundee will readily De
convinced that municipal government has as
sumed distinctively collectivist phase in the
United Kingdom. Experiments In town owner
ship and control which would be regarded in his
own country as Radical II not Socialistic. are
going on here without observation. and are ac-
cepted as the necessary results OF the growth
Of large towns.
An American critic would be likely to object
to municipal ownership of the gas supply as
an invasion Of a field which should be reserved
for private corporations. The shrewd canny
Scotchman does not take that view of the ques-
tion The CITY," he will say, lis one Of the
largest consumers of gas. and has to light many
public buildings and hundreds OF miles Of
streets. Why should not the municipality go
into the business of manufacturing gas and
conduct IT in such a way as to reduce the price
and to improve the quality of light in every
household? He does not understand why
town cannot regulate the gas as well as the
water supply and believes that every commu-
nifty would be better served by public agents
than by private corporations Outside London
there are two hundred or more cities and towns
which now own and control the gas supply.
The rates of gas have been reduced. even when
there has been a necessity of providing for In
terest charges and sinking funds and eventu-
ally when the debts incurred through the pur-
chase Of the property Of private companies have
been liquidated the bills will go lower. In Dun
dee the rates are high. three shillings and four
pence per thousand feet. but the quality Is very
good.
In the same spirit the canny Scotchman Will
advocate municipal ownership Of street rail-
ways He will assume that the city ought never
to surrender control Of the public highways:
far
should be regulated by the municipality; that
the tracks ought to he laid at the expense OF
the town. and the cars operated either by mu-
nicipal servants or by companies which pay
good rental into the city treasury. These ideas
may be novel to an American. but England and
Scotland are accepting them az logical ana
practical Municipal ownership of tramways Is
no longer a crude experiment. 1t has been in
troduced with satisfactory results In many cities
and is working admirably The Dundee mu-
ncipality does not operate the cars. as does
Glasgow. but IL has leased the roads to the
highest bidder under restrictions which secure
low fares. a seat for every passenger and good
rental for the local treasury.
THE VALUE OF FREE LIBRARIES.
The American objector will probably regard
free municipal libraries and art galleries AS
the millionaires and ph:lanthropsts,' he will
say. provide uxuries of this kind with their
surplus wealth" The shrewd Scotchman will
shake his head and rejoin: why wait for mill
ionaires to have generous impulses upop their
deathbeds? There ought to he free library.
reading room and art gallery IN every town, and
the taxpayers should provide the money 1t
will cost only a penny to the pound and will be
of the greatest possible assistance in diminish
ing crime and promoting intelligence" Dundse
was the first town in the United Kingdom tn
take advantage of the Free Libraries act. II
has an excellent public library with over lOo.-
OcO volumes and most ingenious system 81
registering books. There is large reading
room with reference library. which is open to
all corners and is crowded every night with
mechanics: and there are municipal art galleries
and museums with collections which are doing
something TO promote public taste and TO in
crease the stock Of public knowledge. This In
stitution is supported ~ the taxpayers In
other towns there are municipal technical
schools. Drndee has a very good school Of this
kind in connection with Its college. but II is not
under municipal control
Indeed, one cannot remain long in town like
Dundee without being impressed with the fac.
that municipal government in Great Britain Is
at once more efficient than it is in America. and
also more progressive in meeting the require
ments Of new conditions Of overcrowded indus
trial communities. 1t is not necessary to argue
that system of municipal ownership and ac-
tivity which works well in Scotland may not be
suited to the social environment Of an American
town That may may not he true. But GER
tainly the English and Scotch municipalities,
borrowing some Of their best ideas from Aus
traia and Ncw-Zealand. not standing still.
but are going steadily forward and accomplish