Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-08-06

CONTROL OF NATURAL. MONOPOLlEo.
whats natural monopoly"
A natural monopoly is anything essential to
to the well-being OF the people, In city 1t is
water, transportation, light, communication
and other things. The other day was down
where the city water works was putting IN
new pump, and l talked to the foreman. He
said $3.50, 900 had been saved to Kansas City
last year by the city owning its wsfer works
plant. Why shouldn't the city (and dhat is the
people, own all these other monopoliesand run
them for the benefit of the people? THIS idea
of speculation in natural monopolies by and-
viduals is wrong. They are the property OF
the people; every person in Kansas City has an
equity in the street-ca1s, because they are nec-
essary to everyone's existence here. We can't
live and do business without them. The city
ought to own all its natural monopolles, and that
will include in time, department stones and all
all other lines of business; and the govern
ment ought to own the railro ads and teiegraphs
and so on"
The listener took his feet frsm the table, sat
straight up and brought his fist down OF the
table. "But suppose the nlu nicipal and ns.ion-
al government don't get hold. of these inonopo-
lies, hes aid. "Suppose th at Rockefeller gets
such lead pipe cinch on the suggr industry
that he can holdit, and when he's dead the cinch
will be inherited by his chil iren, and it will be
handed down for generationss and suppose the
same thing would happen I'm other lines OF
trade; then we wonld have a. sugar king and
an oil king, and telegrahy king, and in Kan
sas City here we would have a department
store duke and bread duke, milk duke, and
all the wealth and business of the country would
be centered in the hands of few, and the mass
es of the people would have to swam pretty
close TO the shore. What if your Capitalization
idea should take that turn?''
TIE Socialist smiled gr;1nly. @'That's just
the turn expect it to take he said "'And
that's just why am so ST. oligly j favor of the
Capitalization going on 1t is ONLY 5y such
Capitalization that the pu oic can be educated.
When all capital aud business has been center
ed in the hands of the few, and the masses
have been pauperjzed which will be the III
evitable result of it, then the people will elect
legislators who, perhaps, will get control of all
these things for the benefit of the people. The
that the capitalists buy them. We all kno W
that"
eyes; and they'll keep right OH buying
them," said theISocalsts friend as he switched
around in his chair and looked out the window.
CITY REVENUE WITHOUT TAN ALTON
81 expect they will, )" remarked the Socialist
calmly. "They will till the pauperized masses
rise in revolt and take charge of the govern
ment and"
''The same old story. It's ain "a dream"
'No; it's not dream The people are not
going to stand this thing beyong certain lin
it. Now mind you, don't say the reform can't
be made without revolution. 1t may be made
by legislation. We have made a beginning in
this city by buying the water works If Kan
sas City owned to-day her gas, electric lights,
street-cars ard telephone service, there'd be
dividend declared at the end of each yea- that
would cut down the prices of every thing. l
can show you statistics wlhere---"
"Don't come at me with statistics,'' protested
the old mans friend. 'l got so cra1nmed full
of statistics during the presidential campaign
last fall that a row of figures makes me sea-
sick"
Well, will tell yor, and can prove it, that
in Germany there is city which owns its cleo
trio cars, light, water and telephone plants, and
not cent of taxes In paid in the town. Not
only that, but all these. things are cheaper than
in neighborng towns Now, do say that the
experiment made by many cities III this coun