The advocate., 1897-11-17
THE PEOPLE HEARD HIM.
Governor Pingee Pleads for Municipal Re-
form Before New York Audience,

New York, November 12.--Governor
Hazen Pingree, Of Michigan, delivered
an address last night before the Nine
teenth Century Club at Sherry's. There
was a very large attendance at the meet
ing, the Sherry ballroom being filled
with men and women in evening dress
The Governor stated that 1t was the
duty of every good citizen to take an
active interest in the politics of his
municipality, not only to vote, but to
take part actively in cauCuses and pri-
mary elections. Then reviewing his con-
nectiOn with Detroit, as Mayor, during
the past seven years, he told how, under
his administration, the city had acquired
its 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 thor
oughfares; how the street pavements
had been wonderfully improved; how
the public school facilities had been bet
tered; how the street car facilities had
| been greatly increased and the cost Of
! transportation lessened so 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
ingmen's tickets at cents during GER
tain hours, and how, by the starting of
an opposition company, telephone rates
had been reduced more than rs per cent.
Continuing, he said:
This period has been to me more
like one Of war than peace / was Sc
ected as candidate by the most in
fluential people. | discovered after cleo
tion that the railroads were paying less
than their share Of taxes. l said so, and
the railroad support Immediately left
me. | discovered that the gas conf
panies were charging eXorbitant rates
said So and the owners Of the gas
stock turned their backs on me- | found
the bankers speculating with city funds
l denounced the practice, and they de-
nounCed me as unsafe. | attacked the
turnpike roads, and their owners called
me an anarchist. Every time / attempted
to correct an abuse, | lost a large and
influential class Of supporters. | was
four times elected Mayor, but in each
campaign was made painfully aware Of
the loss Of old friends, although my ma
iorities crept up from 1,500 to more than
10000 When the influential classes
turned their backs upon me, the com-
mon people always stood by me. You
will not be surprised that have come
to lean upon the common people as the
real foundation upon which good gov
ernment must rest
'As to a 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
Council has right to barter them away
The remedy against many OF these evils
is municipal ownership and entire abo-
lltion of monopolies, or, If monopolies
must exist, which depend upon public
favor, their absolute control and depen-
dence upon the people. This remedy
will not only solve many municipal prob
lens, but will bring other agencies Of
commerce under proper suD1ectiOn. We
are jobbing out the sovereign power Of
the people to spectators. My experience
is that those who stand foremost in the
synagogue of Sunday, and are engaged
the rest OF the week in bribing alder
men, or getting up stock jobblng