Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-09-09
BUSINESS IN CITY GOVERNMENT.

Single Taxer pronounces the statement
a fake. "
1t is fact, however, that the stroet
railways of Glasgow are under munici-
pal management, with results that are
highly tiattering, us we'll as profitable.
Tho government of Glasgow also is
without doubt The model civic federa-
tion OF the world. Other European
cities are patterniug after it with good
results, but Glasgow easily holds the
load.
Facts about this interesting munich
pal government are found in DIR. Inert
Snaw's two hooks on the government OF
European cities, and from them the
New York World has compiled woll-
tolu story OF three of the best examples
of well-governed cities OF Europe
Glasgow, Manchester and birmingham.
Glasgow contains ahnut 100, OOO
people. Manchester population is 52O,-
| 700, but irs municipal government
directly benefits 1000, QUO. Birming-
ham has about 440, 700 within its cor
norate limits. They are governed 10y
an electorate that in no essential respect
differs from ours. Tho masses of the
people vote and have absolute power
over their public servants, the officials
They select a municipal council that
administers the rity's affairs by diviu-
ing itself into executive committees,
one committee at the hoad OF each de-
partment OF the public service. Theee
councillors servo without pay and,
although elections arc frequent, changes
in the council from causes other than
death are comparatively rare.
In their municipal campaigns the
questions Of national or other than city
politics ure never discussed Local affairs
only are issues. Party lines do not
exist. An Official who serves the city
we'll 10 practically never opposed for re-
election. All this is the result OF
single causo-tho complete divorce Of
politics from city affairs.
In Glasgow the street railways are
now ownoa and run ny tho city at Il
large profit. Yet tho average fare is
about two cente, and there are work
ingmen trains morning and evening on
which the charge is only one cont.
Until two years ago the street rai!ways,
whica were built by the city, were
leased to private company which paid
its stockholders 10 per cent diridends
after paying the city annually: az The
total interest Charge on the city IN
VehlUieuIs " euuuSu IL uCCul uldtu
into a sinking fund big enough to pay
oil tho total 1rst cost of the rnads ut
tine Gnu OF the lease; 81 enough 10
reimburse the city for all repairs and
renewals, and (4) anu annual rental Of
s7jU mile. And they were allowed
to charge on the average about two and
half cents rs fare!
In Glasgow the gas and electric light
| L.. p.,I taI lu ? f,a,
city, 1t has built new works. 1T has
paid off half the original debt. 1t has
accumulated large sinking fund. Yet
IL has reduced the price of gus to gu
cents tbe thousand feet, anu that too in
the face Of the fact that the price oil
, pBs.mal,jng coal has greatly advanced.
10 prevent the elsctrlc lighting from
making serious inroads on tue use oi
gas it has started system OF &c Iting
Gas. stoves, The cost 10 the taxpayer
, of street lighting in Glasgow is less
than slO0 900, and that sum is con.
stantly reducing. Like the gus works,
the electric light plant is on business
basis IN will soon bu paying for itself,
with no cost to tnu taxpayer.
Glasgow has perfect supply of ab
solutely pure water at pressure sc
, /
= partment Ia greatly increased. The cOs
OF water is about quarter OF cent &
day for each inhahitant. AT this price
the debt of the water works is being
rapidly paid.
10 check the evils of overcrowding,
Glasgow condemned and bought about
one hundred acres of teEefnenta. II
opened twenty nine new streets, il
Ia. al - itsn HlI q
! erncted model tenements that bring il
500, 0G0 in rents annually, it laid ouI
a sunerb park, aud altogether 30 admir-
ably administered the enterprise tina
it ia now practically Helf sustaining, The
, death. rate has been lowered, tho pool
people arc more comfortably housou anI
the city has been groatiy beautitiod.
/ Glasgow changou itself from an in
land town tn a great senport by under
! taking the improvements of the Clyd,
which have Gust the city 500, QUO, U0l
7 ami the Taxpayers almost nothing a
barber was dug, splendid docks wert
constructed anu all the facilities of {
+ grent seaport were provided. Vet by
business administration each enterprise
was made 6elf.sustaining or more thar
self sustaining. The Gity's credit was
. used, the city was made great and pros
porous, and there is a net income ove
all expenses Of about 50, 600, 600 a year.
Glasgow has seven great model lodg
ing houses where the homeless poor are
accommodated at triiling rates. 1t hal
a family home" where widows OF
widowers with children eau live unit
they can arrange for tho care OF thei!
children while they are at work. Ii hui
| putlic WuBh houses where all the aupli
ances for washing clothes arc furnished
at small cost Its female visitants'
tench moor families how to economic
and yet live comfortably. Its milk in
spectnrs visit the farms whence come,
tue oity's milk supply and compe
cleanliness anu high standard OF milk.
Its municipal fnrms use tho fertilizer
made from the city sewage and raist
crops 10 sustain tho horses headed by
: the city. Ii has splendid public swim.
ming baths, &c. And all these enter
prises are either seif-sustGining or art
partially sustained by the surplus from
those enterprises that bring in Il profit.
And with all thess splendid results,
taxes in Glasgow are not nearly so higt
as in New York, Bruoklyn and othei
American cities. Nor is the public
debt nearly 80 great.
Is there any reason why municipA
government in American cities shuuG
not be brought to this state of psr
fection? None whatever. All that il
necessary il to put aside the issue o.
partisan politics ami make municipa
goysrnment matter of plain ant
practical business