The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-11
"a 40 orr -oKKrRenIr.
The Nineteenth Century CIub Hears tho Ques-
tion Discussed rroua Three stanapoists.

tton discussed from Three btnnopoints.
The meeting of the Nineteenth Century Club
held last night at Sherry's was given up to the
consideration OF the question, rs the growing
demand for public control Of franchises jusu.
hedl' The usual largo and well-dresscd audi.
ence listened to the speakers. who wero Henry
d. Lloyd Of Illinois, Mayor Josiah Quincy Of
Boston and Prof. J. NJ. Robertson OF Cambridge.
Mr.. Lloyd spoke In favor of the rather vision
airy socialism to which Edward Bellamy has
given best expression. Mr.. Quincy favored
municipal ownership. but with tho practical
consideration OF o man Of affairs for business
details and the limits Of possibility. Prof.
Robertson- said that no favored municipal
ownership, but preferred to consider what has
been done in that limo rather than what may be.
Mr.. Lloyd said in substance:.
with a Just government you can munich.
palize everything; otherwise nothing. Private
enterprise looks on but one side. A city, from
tho fact that 1t represents the community,
makes a business a public benefit. Hero you
have advocated rapid transit with municipal
ownership, and last fall every platform had
civic ownership in some form as one of its
planks. We are fifty years behind in our poll
tics;
Twenty-Five years of agitation have been Of no
avail. The only, friend the people have left 10
tnc pToSS, anu mo puOllC opinion OF tho many
Is In danger from the public opinion influenced
while that Of China Is only proposed. What
Emerson called our bad wealth blocks the
way. Men of substance begin to see that they
must not only not rob and cheat, but prevent
their neighbors from cheating and robbing."
Mayor Quincy spoke of Boston's municipal
ownership of its subway system. He said:
at q psIoo h Which EoR Wiif l IL 70 i th After ssFi for. ssi YEARS
clear OF, debt and in the .city's hands. Mosu
progressive people sympathize with the grow
Ing demand for civic owhership. Tho policy
must begin with the cities. 1t is q practical
question, not whether the city shall have con-
trol,.but what form 1t shall take, simple or
through rented contracts. Massachusetts, has
gone further than:most States. City control Of
of official regulation is one of what is practi-
callv possible. No general answer can be
given to the question, IL public ownership
wisei Theoretically, 1 believe In 1t. But It
Is o question of eXpediency, of what Is possible
politically rather than right Theoretically.
How far we can go must be answered In de-
tail In each city; There Is the question Of COM
tions they must be puid for the franchises Il
taken from them by the city. l believe 1t would
be wise for Boston to own its lighting plants,
but tho law compels compensation for the pri-
vate corporation. and the question becomes
one as to the wisdom Of such an investment
by the city. No one says a city has the right to
wipe out private Investments by taking n
franchise without compensation TO its .previ-
Gus owner. AS Q general statement. while the
question OF public ownership can be discussed
as q theory, practically 1t depends on political
and business facts whether 1t is wise In n par
ticular city. We must not go too fast, nor ig-
more the difficulties involved"