The Advocate and news., 1899-03-29
TOPEKA, KANSAS, MARCH 20, 1899.

impossible for many cities to thrive or
make growth.
The public franchise is the authority
given to individuals to conduct public en-
terprises and is owned inherently by all the
citizens of the city, whether taxpayers"
or not. Please remember that the rent
payers are the real taxpayers in every city,
as they pay all the taxes as well as insur-
ance and improvements in the rent pay
ments, and that 95 per cent of the citizens
of this and every other city, save two ex-
ceptions, are rent payers in one form or
another Thus we are compelled to say
that the rent payers are the taxpayers" z"
Topeka the most beautiful city in the land,
is kept alive and thriving by the "rent
payer"
Remember that the founders Of the State
who in their wisdom located the Capitol
here, every man who has contributed cent
to the building Of the State Capitol, every
citizen who contributed to the building of
a railroad to this city, every one who has
contributed a cent toward a court house
and fair ground -dilapidated though it is,
every liberal soul who has donated to our
colleges and churches has added to our
growth and development, and each one who
has paid taxes or rents has become public
benefactor in building a city.
The franchises to the waterwOrks, lights,
street railways and public parks belong to
the people of this city for the reasons
above enumerated.
Under the reign of an early mayor we
granted franchises to whOmsOever asked
them, not looking toward the future, and
not caring for posterity Thanks to the
shortsightedness of the private corpora
tions, we did not make their franchises per-
petual.
The mayor and council did not know the
value of their municipal munifcent gift,
and there are still among us men who strut
up and down Kansas avenue, opposing mu
nicipal ownership.
Sydney Wells, a noted English writer on
ownership in England, says;
''The individualist city alderman will walk
along the MUNICIPAL pavement, lit by
gas, and cleansed by MU-
NICIPAL brooms with MUNICIPAL wa
ter, and seeing by the MUNICIPAL clock
on the MUNICIPAL city hall that he is
too early to meet his children coming from
the MUNICIPAL school and MUNICIPAL
gymnasium, near by the MUNICIPAL asy-
lum and MUNICIPAL hospital, will use
the NATIONAL telegraph system to tell
them not to walk through the MUNICH
PAL park, to listen to the MUNICIPAL |
band, but to come by the MUNICIPAL !
street car, around by the MUNICIPAL !
odging house, to meet him in the MUNICH !
PAL reading room, close by the MUNICH
PAL art gallery, where he intends to con-
ult of some of the NATIONAL hand books, |
n order to prepare his next speech in favor
# NATIONAL ownership of railways and
anals"
The only reasons that can be given by
he opposition are, first, lack of infOrma-
ion upon what has been and is being done
n the world, and personal opposition for
'ersonal gains by those who are interested
# hope to be in the private corporations.
Municipal ownership is not an expert
nent, as there are now nearly $50 branches
+ business conducted by municipal and ma
ional governments, and 225 which are con-
rolled or regulated.
In 1893 New York City possessed prop
rty worth $560OOO,OOO, without including
treets, sewers or bridges, but includes over
90 large buildings.
"The proposition submitted to the voters
New Paynesville, Mimi, TO erect water
7orks and an electric plant, was carried.
"Danbury was the first town in COnnec-
icut to municipalize its gas and electric