Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-05-14

anu DUAhbs
In Glasgow, Scotland, 80 per cent.
of the street railway fares are one cent,
and the average of all fares is under two
cents, yet the city roads made profit
of Sill, 900 in the first eleven months
Of municipal operation.
In Berlin the public street railways
sell yearly tickets to so in and out five
miles, as often as you choose, for $3.50
a year, running average of about ten
miles for one cent Yet profit Of
about 40 per cent. is made on the pas
senger traffic.
1t is charged by the opponents OF
railroad ownership that it will open up
the gates to political corruption. 1t
would be impossible for there to be as
much corruption as there is at present.
Enterprises owned and operated by the
government, like the Postal Depart
ment, are freer Of corruption than are
the great systems of finance and trans
portation now existing. Legislative
investigations in New York have proved
that the Erie road spent million dol
lars in single year to influence legis-
lation, and the New York Central spent
$2O5,000.
Every investigation shows that pub
lie ownership of public utilities is not
only cheaper to the people, but it re-
moves most of the inducements for
corruption in the legislatures and the
courts. The average cost of electric
light in 131 cities in the United States
operated by private enterprise, is five
cents per candle power. The average
cost of electric light in twenty-four
cities in the United States operated by
the municipal governments is 21-5
cents per candle power.
The average cost of railroads in the
United States is less than half of what
they are capitalized at. For No. all
steel rails, 10 pounds per yard, the
cost is S5,183 per mile for material and
laying the track. The cost Of ties
ranges from $500 to $1,4OO. For gravel
ballast about 81 400. Add to these the
grading, which varies widely, Of course,
and you have something near the cost
of constructing a mile Of railroad track.
The Union Pacific cost about 3S,OO0,-
900, according to the company's own
books, but it received bonus of nearly
$75,OOO,OOO, and capitalized at over
S1OO,OOO,OOO, or about $4,000, per mile.
When it comes to the matter of
wages, public employees are better paid
as a rule than those Of private en-
ployers. Uncle Sans mail carriers re-
ceive 5000 for the first year, $500 for the
second, and $1,000 for the third, and
have less hours to work than most
railroad employees, who receive less
wages. For clerical work in the de-
partments wages range higher than
for the same class Of work in private
enterprises. Beside! there are NJ
strikes, lock outs, or suspensions in
government employment, and with the
English system Of civil service, the
change in administrations would not
effect any but a few heads of depart.
ments.
Brother Wayland takes up the cause
of homeless children in the following
vigorous language: "The Society fol
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal;
has established in Philadelphia and
New York shelters for dogs and cats
and during the last year has received
1881 dogs and cats, of which 3,21t
have been restored to the owners and
447 provided with homes. Tens Of
thousands of homeless, miserable
hungry children are in these cities
but they are not of so much account as
dogs and cats. One child is of more
worth than all the dogs and cats, but
not according to the ideas of these mis-
taken philanthropists. They are toe
lBuUIduI " DEC ludI lAlC NCAy mOu6l
contributed is gotten by the donors by
processes of interest, rent and profit
that takes the bread out of the mouths
of children to feed to these dogs ant
cats"
Brother N. A. Dunning, formerly
editor of the National Waterman, in
letter to the Peoples Party Paper, ex.
presses the fear that the Socialists will
control the next National Populist con
vention. There are others who feai
that there will not be enough Socialist.
in it to save the fundamental prin.
ciples of the Omaha platform. AS
both of these extremes are on theli
guard, and the people are now think.
ing about this matter, it looks like
everything will come out all right al
st. Louis. At least the people are
sufficiently aroused that no surprises
can be sprung on the convention, either
to unnecessarily load the platform
down, or to trim it of its present fun.
damental principles.
1t is frequently announced by the
great (0 financlers of this country
Abo oro ryarty rnttgh