The Saint Paul globe., 1897-06-06
w. b. BOWRING, FORMERLY MAYOR.
OF LIVERPOOL, VISITING ST.
PAUL.
UP IN MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.
HAS HAD YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
IN THE GOVERNMENT OF HIS
CITY.
POINTS OF DIFFERENCE NOTED.
Is Looking Over the Different Eorn,s
Of Rapid Urban Transit in
American Cities.

pool, England, as it is written on the
register at the Ryan hotel, has nothing
in it to indicate that the owner was
! mayor of Liverpool prior to 1894
but such is the case
Ex-Mayor Bowring, with his wife
sister and nephew are travelling
on the American continent purely nm
pleasure, as far as the ladies are CON
cerned' and on business and pleasure
combined, SO far as Mr. Bowring is
concerned. They have visited New
forK, Boston, Chicago and other cities
ana are spending two or three days
III ST. Paul and MINNEAPOLIS before
IeaVlng for Yellowstone National park
u Whlch Mr.. Bowring says he has
heard SO much in Europe that he de-
termlned to visit it the first time he
came west Of Chicago.
ine mayor is distinguished
man. and like all highIy-bred English
| men ne IS broad, tolerant and generous
IN ms views. He represents fairly the
type OF Englishmen whose protestationq
ol lrlendllness toward America. 90 doom
eI than mere after dinner pleasantries
ne respects America and Americans
ne hnds things to criticise, but docs co
| without feeling or prejudice, leaving in
.-40 ILLUS OF those who listen that feel
-As VI respect that only broad-minded
--i0" Cdh command. In personal an
po0i ," ance ne Is & typical Englishrnan
-"se OF frame, with clear and rosv
colnp1exlon, robust health and finely
preserved. His language is nor mari
Gu ny the broad English accent char
| actefistic of many.
mayor BoWring has had ,ou-
| VI experience in the municipal yovar,-
iileht OF Liverpool and takes lust nrid,
III the nigh rank that ancient no,1rIoi
panty has attained Liyerpoo1 Cl,s-
gov and Birmingham ara the host ,,o~,
elHeo cities on the English isles. Per-
! haps Glasgow is the model but .i,,o,
pool comes close second. Her admin
lstLatloh IS the highest in intelligence
ana conservatism. It is said that tbo
government OF Liverpool is one of the
| must surety honest in the world. Tn
tHis connection, Mr.. Bowring remarked
10 reporter for the G O b e last eyen-
ing that he believed the abuse which
10 neaped upon the municipal govern
.lleltS OF American cities was ,1ni1,st
ne ala not believe that such gross dis
honesty existed as was claimed.
| Liverpool, said the ex-mayor. has
recently been securing control or
lts municipal improvements and now
| controls its own water and gas nIa,,ts
! Within few months past the citv has
| acquired full control of the tram COR
systems of the city, and in the near fu-
| ture the entire revenues of this svs-
tenn will be diverted into the municinaI
| treasury. Mr.. Bowring looks upon this
achievement as one of great benefit TO
| Liverpool as it will create a large reva-
nue. for current expenses. The lines
nave hitherto been controlled by a. pr1.
Vate corporation which leased the lines
ana all rights from the city.
II IS IN connection with this poa+tar
Inat MI. BoWr1ng finds business in tha
united States. He realizes that Ameri-
| ca Is IN the lead in all forms of raDid
| street transportation During his Stav
| in the United States he is making
careful investigation of all forms of
Street railroad travel, and will use his
information in the advancement of the
MunlclpaI tram system of Liverpool
believe that there are now bur
! TWO systems which will be suitable for,
the Liverpool tram traffic." remarked
MI. BoWr1ng. while in New York T
made study of the various systems
| tnere. 1t is my opinion that the un-
derground trolly and the compressed
| air systems are the ones of the future
! Compressed air is being tried in New
| YORK with success. The underground
| trolly is also successful We do NOT
| want the overhead trolIy in Liverpool
Ihls form of traction together with
! the cable system, is unsuited for our
| streets, mainly because the streets of
| LlVerpoo1 are lrregularly laid out, and
1 OIL
! American streets are generally laid
/ out at right angles"
| Ihe government OF Liverpool is based
| upon charter which is the same as
| the imperial charter. Under it the CITY
mas board of aldermen and a board
OF common councillors. The two bodies
! contain in all 112 representatives. The
aldermen are elected for six years. and
] the common councillors for three In
! this way the city always has exper-
fenced men at its head Liverpool
! women enjoy rights which their Ameri-
| can cousins were inclined to believe
were their sole prerogative. In Liver
! pool widows or Spinsters, who were
land and house owners, and who are
! Independent OF the support of man, are
! permitted to vote in municipal cleo
I tlons. There are other qualifications
| besides the above, but they are the
! principal ones. Taxes in Liverpool
are based upon a different plan than
| those of American cities. In the lat
ter city the taxes are levied against
rentals, the amount being four shiI-
| lings and six pence per pound sterling.
! Therefore the owner Of an Unbiased
or unoccupied building does not pay
| taxes, and is not burdened as is the
| case in America. There are many other
| radical differences between English
and American municipal systems, and
Mr.. Bowring generously says that both
| systems have advanta.ses
In speaking of the failure Of the
Anglo-American arbitration to attain
success. Mayor Bowring mani
tests the same spirit Gf fairness which
characteriZeS all his utterances
THE failure of the treaty to pass
your congress is greatly to be deplor-
ed said Mr.. Bowring. 'It does not
signify though, that the sentiment ex-
pressed by your senate is the senti-
ment of your intelligent citizens. It
is the prevailing belief in England that
the large majority of American citi-
zens favored the treaty. There is moth
ir1r but disappointment in England
ever it's failure. The time must come
when two kindred nations, speaking
sessing the most personal and national
| freedom, must unite in q treaty of
peace and arbitration"
Today the mayor and his party
will visit Minnehaha falls. He re-
marked last evening that he wanted to
see the spot that the great American
poet had made world famous.
What An Oyster knows.
Oysters, after they have been brought away