New-York tribune., 1897-01-31

ORGANIC UNITY ESSENTIAL TO THE
ADOPTION OF PROGRESSIVE POLL
crEs-LoNDoN's UNsoLvED
QUESTIONS.

London, January ~
movement in favor Of the incorporation OF
Kensington as a separate municipality mas
ceiyed influential local support and eniisteo 'he
sympathy Of a powerful political leaoer' MI
rh.mber,ain. whose earliest triumphs were won
m the municipal field at Birmingham has never
taken an active interest in the cause OF Lonoon
,,,,t, re hss not concealed his conviction that
. nonulation under half a million is as large as
,an he governed with efficiency under CEN
fra, administration He has now lent his sup
,ort IN q movement for converting one OF the
most important metropolitan areas into a sep
Arate municipality. Kensngton differs from
other London parishes in having a population
Of a high order of intelligence and also IN having
a class of prosperity which Is rated above the
ordinary scale OF valuation. In otner respec's
II is like other parishes. and II 1t can be In
eorporated into an Independent city the others
may also be organized on similar lines IL this
policy be ca-~i out. London will be a me-
tropolis without organic unity. 'lt VIII De
cluster OF forty or more cities
This viii be a method OF decentralization es-
sentially different from that which was as
cussed in the second letter Of this series. Ihe
conversion of populous parishes into sub-munici-
palities for purposes OF local government under
a centralized system Of administration is not
transformation Of metropolitan districts into
autonomous cities will undermine the authority
Of the County Council and reduce London to
geographical expression. Organic unity would
be impossible in such Milky Way CT munich
pslties The ancient City. the stronghold OF
monopolies and vested interests. would remain
Z law unto itself. and clustered about II there
would be a swarm Of independent municipali-
ties in place of the outlying parishes OF Lon
don Vestrydom. These cities would be well
governed in all minor details Of efficient ad-
ministration; but those comprehensive policies
which are the chief glory Of municipal govern
ment in England could not be introduced and
successfully applied to the new conditions OF
urban life
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.
One Of these policies is municipal ownership
and control, which has been carried into opera
ton with signal success In Glasgow, Dundee,
Birmingham Manchester. Liverpool. Bradford,
Leeds. Huddersfed and other provincial towns
This movement long ago passed out OF the ex-
detrimental stage. Municipal ownership and
operation of water. gas electric supply. mar
kets. tramways and cemeteries have been prac-
tically tested. The policy is working satisfac-
tory wherever it has been tried in the United
Kingdom. Large source of municipal revenue
have been reduced. street railway fares have
been lowered and public convenience has been
promoted by a efficient service. Other
English cities profitng by this salutary
policy of municipal socialism; but London
has remained under the domination Of vested
monopolies and parochial rule and has paid
heavily for its suggishness and conservatism
London is a well-paved city, for the vestries
have been faithful in this respect; 1t has
scientific drainage system. for which 1t is In
debted to the Metropolitan Board of Works. A1o
the County Council has not neglected fhne pub
lie parks. Otherwise it isttfe most backward
and stagnant Of EnGish cities in progressive
principles Qf Administration
uD'fSlasgow supplies It's population with the
purest and cheapest water yet derives
nual profit Of $250000. after paying interest
on the water bonds. and every other provincial
city controls its own water supply, after going
far afeld for it. Eight water companies. one
Of them dating from the reign Of James I. sup
ply London from the Thames. the Lea from
wells and are paying large dividends on an
aggregate capital Of S75.000,0O0 or $S0O0O000
Birmingham has reduced the price Of gas to
consumers fully one-third under municipal man.
egement yet at the same time derives a net
income Of S25O.OOO from the business, and turns
II into the city treasury for the benefit Of tax
payers Other provincial cities are doing equal
" well with their gas undertakings. Mean
while, London Is supplied by three gas cor
porations. which divide among stockholders
many millions every year In dividends and
charge higher rates than paid in provincial
cities under municipal ownership. Glasgow
Leeds and Huddersfield are each operating
municipal tramway system and each has con-
verted the business into a source Of revenue
for the city treasury. while greatly improving
the service and introducing half-penny fares
during workingmen's hours. Other cities. which
lease the tramways under conditions Of munich
pal ownership. obtain highly remunerative rent
ais for the privilege Of using the streets. Lon
don. instead of purchasing and operating its
tramways. receives a beggarly return for rights
surrendered to corporations.
other cities own their water-fronts and dock
systems and conduct them In the public In
terest. The London docks are owned by COM
bination of private companies. which frequently
sacrifices the commercial interests OF the port
in its dealings with labor and in its shipping
charges. Liverpool makes a handsome Profit
out of the public markets. London has no mar
ket system worthy Of the name. Towns like
Huddersfeld and Bradford have public baths.
libraries. reading-rooms. art galleries. museums
and technical schools under municipal man
agement and patronage. These institutions
are not lacking in London but they are not
owned and operated by the municipal authori-
ties nor brought within easy reach Of the
masses and made accessible to them. More
over, there have been no improvement schemes
in the metropolis conducted on the principles
Of the famous Corporation Street in Birming-
ham, by which the city treasury will ultimately
he enriched and taxpayers burdens immeas-
li0h
ing valuable assets in municipal undertakings
based upon long-term leases with final re-
version to the corporation. and future genera
tions will benefit by them; for municipal owner
ship is opening a vista of coming time when
local taxation will disappear London Is iot
favored with glimpses Of civic Utopia under
conditions of municipalizauon. 1t has not
adonted any of these COMMUNICATIVE schemes OF