Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-11-17
Only Remedy for Cities is
Municipal Ownership.
The Common People, the Real FOun
ment Must Rest.

Century club at Sherry's. There wa.
very large attendance at the meet
ing, the Sherry ball room be;ng filled
with men and women in evening dress
President Taylor introduced tn.
speaker of the evening al 500 O'Clock
and Governor Pingree at once begar
to deliver his address.
Governor Pingree spoke of "The
Results of Ten Years of Municipa
Progress
The governor stated that it was the
duty of every good citizen to take an
active interest in the politics of his
municipality, not only to vote, but tc
take part actively in caucuses and pri
mary elections. Then reviewing his
connection with the municipal affairs
of Detroit, as mayor, during the past
seven years, he told how, under his ad-
ministration, the city had acquired it's
own electrical lighting plant and was
now splendidly illuminated at less than
half the old rate; how gas had been re-
duced at least one-third in price; how
the toll roads had been made public
thoroughfares; how the street pave
ments had been wonderfully improved;
how the public school facilities had
been bettered; how the street car facil-
tiles had been greatly Increased, and
the cost of transportation 1essened so
that now one company sells six tickets
for quarter with transfers; and an
other eight tickets with transfers; how
all street car companies had been COM
PEELED to sell workingmens' tickets at
cents during certain hours, and how,
by the starting of an opposition COM
pauy, telephone rates had been reduc-
ed more than rs per cent.
Continuing, he said:
"This period has been to me more
like one of war than peace. I was Sc
lected as a candidate by the most in
fluential people. 1 discovered after
election that the railroads were pay
ing less than their share of taxes. 1
said so, and the railroad support inn
mediately left me. / discovered that
the gas companies were charging ex-
horbitant rates. 1 said SO, and the
owners of the gas stock turned their
backs on me. / found the bankers
speculating with city funds. de-
nounced the practice, and they de-
nounced me as unsafe. / attacked the
turnpike roads, and their owners call
cd me an anarchist. Every time at
tempted to correct an abuse, lost a
large and influential class of support
ers. was four times elected mayor,
but in each campaign was made pain
fully aware of the loss of old friends,
although my majorities crept up from
1,5O0 to more than 10000. When the
influential classes turned their backs
upon me, the common people always
stood by me. You will not be surpris-
e1 that have come to lean upon the
Common people as the real foundation
upon which good government must
rest.
"As to remedy for these evils, my
experience has brought me to the con-
clusion that the streets of city belong
to the people and that no mayor or
common council has right to barter
them away The remedy against
many of these evils is municipal own
ership and entire abolition of monopo-
lies, or, if monoplies must exist, which
depend upon public favor, their abso-
Lutte control and dependence upon the
people. This remedy will not only
solve many municipal problems, but
will bring other agencies to commerce
under proper subjectiou. We are job
bing out the sovereign power of the
people to spectators.
My experience is that those who stand
foremost in the synagogue of a Sun
day, and are engaged the rest of the
week in bribing aldermen, or getting
up stock jobbing schemes to defraud
the widows and orphans are the most
dangerous members of society.
'How long can government last
which increases constantly the bur-
dens of the industrial classes, and
gives to those who prey upon the bone
and sinew of the nation? Here in New
York fear that my remarks will not
be we'll received, but l hope and be
lieve that self government by the peo-
pie and for the people has not reached
that stage which all men who love lib
erty hope it will eventually reach.
'It is the duty of the government tc
protect the weak against the strong
the poor against the seifishness oi
wealth. ! say right here that unit
the Republican party comes out as 4
champion of the average man and hiI
welfare, and unless it ceases to catel
to syndicates, trusts and monopolies
1t will be buried in oblivion. We mus
begin by advocating municipal own
ership of natural monopolies and taxi
away from them the item of profit ant
relieve the wage Garner to that ex
tent"