The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-12

new YORK, NOV. 1I--GOVernor Hazen
S. Pingree of Michigan delivered an adj
dress tonight before the Nineteenth
Century club at Sherry's.
There was a very large attendance at
the meeting, Sherry's ball room being
filled with men and women in evening
dress Herbert Wash of Philadelphia
had also been invited to talk on a sim
mar subject He spoke of reform in his
native city, and the abuses of ring
1ule there.
MUNICIPAL PROGRESS.
General Pingree spoke of the results
OF ten years of municipal progress. The
governor stated that it was the duty Of
every good citizen to take an active in
terest IN the politics of his municipal
lty, not only to vote. but to take part
actively in caucuses and primary cleo
tons. Then, reviewing his connection
with the municipal affairs of Detroit as
mayor during the first five years, he
told how, under his administration. the
city had acquired its own electric light
ing plant, and was now splendidlv il
Illuminated at less than half the old rate.
how gas had been reduced at least one
third in price; how the toll roads had
been made public thOrOughfares: how
the street pavements had been wonder
Iully improved; how the public school
facilities had been bettered: how the
street car facilities had been greatly
increased and the cost of TRANSPORTS
ton lesse1ed. that now one company
sells. SIX tickets for a quarter. with
transfers, and another eight tickets
with transfers; how all street car COM
panies had been compelled to sell work
lngmen's tickets at cents during Ger
tam hours. and how, by the starting of
an opposition company, telephone rates
had been reduced more than 70 per cent
Continuing, he said:
CORPORATIONS LEAVE HIM
This period had been to me more
like one of war than peace. was
selected as a candidate by the most in
Huential people. / discovered after
election that the railroads We're paying
less than their share of taxes. [ said
so, and the railroad support immedf-
ately left me. L discovered that the
gas companies were charging exOrbi-
tant rates. ] said so, and the owners
OF gas stock turned their backs on me.
l found the bankers specializing with
city funds. I denounced the practice
and they denounced me as unsafe.
attacked the turnpike roads, and their
owners called me an anarchist Every
time L attempted to correct an abuse
L lost large and influential class Of
supporters. 1 was four times elected
mayor, but in each campaign was made
painfully aware of the loss of old
friends, although my majorities creDt
up from 1900 to more than 10000 When
the influential classes turned their
backs upon me, the common people al
ways stood by me. You will not be sur
pTIsed that l have come to lean upon
the common people as the real fOunda.-
ton upon which good government must
rest.
REMEDY FOR EVILS.
AS to a remedy for these evils. my
experience mas brought me to the con-
clusiOn that the streets of a 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 ownership
and entire abolition of mOnopolies. or.
if monOpOlies must exist which depend
upon public favor. their absolute con-
troll and dependence upon the people.
This remedy viii not only solve many
municipal problems, but will bring
other agencies of commerce under
proper subsection. We are jObbing ont
the sovereign power of the people to
spectators. My experience is that
those who stand foremost in the syna-
SVSUt VI d 0ullQctJ. anu dEG engaged
the rest of the week in bribing alder
men, or getting up stock jobbfng
schemes to defraud the widows and or
phans are the most dangerous men,
ber5 of society.
DUTY OF GOVERNMENT.
How long can a government last
which increases constantly the burdens
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 may not
be we'll received. but I hope and be-
Heye that government by the peO-
pie and for the people have not reached
that stage while men love liberty hope
it will eventually reach.
1T is the duty of government to pro-
tect the weak against the strong. the
poor against the selfshness of wealth.
I say right here that unless the Repub-
ican party comes out as a champion
of the average man and his welfare.
i unless it ceases to cater to syndf-
Gates, trusts and monopOlies, it will be
buried in oblivion. We must begin by
advocating a municipal ownership of
natural mOnopclies. and take away
from them fine item of Dr0ff and 70