Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-07-02
(By Senator Butler, OF North Carolina.
POpulist.)

The question whether such public
services as lighting by gas OF electric
tty, and street car transportation and
the furnishing of water to every house
hold should be intrusted to private
corporations or controlled directly by
the municipalities, is one that ia at
tracing a great deal of attention. The
principle Of municipal ownership Of
these natural monopolies Is one that
Is steadily growing in favor in every
quarter Of the union. To have pure
water furnished at low cost: to have
good gas or electric lighting facilities
furnished at reasonable rates and ex-
tended to every quarter Of the city,. to
have prompt and efficient street car
service at a cost not greater than 1t
costs to furnish the service. are three
questions that concern every resident
of q town or city as vitality, IL not
more SO than. any other three questions
pertaining to city government To
have these important services cheap
and efficient is not only of vital con-
Germ to those who live In a city. but
Is the best possible advertisement and
tnducement to bring desirable addi-
tons to city's population and busi-
ness enterprises. That these import
ant functions, supplying vital necessi-
ties to city's welfare, should be put
In the hands of two or three private
monopolies, often foreign capitalists
will use these monopolies with view
solely to. their own profit. is unbusi-
nesslike, to say the least-it is wore
than that, it is folly, 1t is suicidal. AS
rule the cost of these necessities can
be reduced upon an average more
than one-half over the entire country,
and each city furnish the people a
better and more reliable service.
Nearly every city today where pri-
vate monopolies hold these important
functions and franchises would change
at once to municipal ownership II a
majority Of the citizens could express
their will and have it enforced. The
fatal mistake is made when a city
grants these franchises to a private
monopoly. At once the monopoly
wrings from the public enormous
profits to control the city elections
and city government. Soon the peo-
pie find that they can not elect any
man for mayor, councilman, or alder
man unless he Is a man too friendly to
the interests of these private monop-
olies. The money and monopoly will
proceed to rule the cities-the voice
of the people will be defeated, if not
drowned and hushed.
A few days ago while the writer Of
this article was in New York attend
ing the Grant monument exercises, he
was very much impressed with the
inefficiency of the car service of that
great metropolis. He asked a citizen
of the city why there was no electric
or cable street car lines instead of here
and there an anticipated horse car line,
to help the elevated roads to move the
great surging mass of humanity to be
seen in that city every day. He point
ed to the elevated railroads and said:
"They will not allow it." l then asked
him II cable and electric companies had
built surface roads and gotten estab-
lished first If they would have elevated
roads. He said mo: II the cable and
electric road had been built and they
had grown strong enough to control the
city government then we would have
no elevated roads. They would not de-
sire any competition, and would want
all the business themselves, and what
of the public they could not accom-
modate, might suffer and walk and 70
unaccommodated."
This tells the whole story. A city
foolingly grants an important public
franchise that concerns every citizen
to a private corporation. The fran
chise is monopoly, and then corpora
ton becomes a monopoly and use the
franchise not for, the public interest
except. as the street interest can be
served to put money into the pockets
Of the private corporations. OF course
the private corporation uses It's mo-
nopoly to make immense profits and
then uses these profits to control the
city elections and city government;
and thus we have the spectacle OF
street railroads, gas and electric
plants and water works running the
city in the interest of the private
owners Of the public franchises in
stead Of the Aty running these import
ant functioiA In the interest of the
city and Its citizens. There is but one
remedy to give the people Justice and
to purify politics; and that is for the
city to own and operate these public
franchises. Surely If reason, common
sense and common business principles
are to be observed, soon these reforms
must come in every city. Thus it will
be seen that the principles OF the Peo-
pies party apply to the welfare and
interests not only Of the farmers and
country population, but applies also
equally strong to the welfare and in
terest of the residents of our towns
and great cities. In short, the princi-
pies of the Peoples party must be ap-
piled to insure the people good govern
ment in the nation. in the state, and In
every local and city municipality in the
Tho paAnIa will No.