The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-12-02
ETTERs TO "GREENBOY."
vi
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP.

This time it il municipal, state and
national governmens ownership OF pub.
lie franchises that you are interested
in, Whereby you give evidence that
YOUR head is level. "Oharity begins at
home" Taxation Of municipal fran
chises, 90 as to relieve the owners of
real estate of great part Of this burden
paves the way to municipal ownership
OF street railways, gas and electric
plants and other valuable franchises.
In my opinion we are not ripe for
government ownership OF means Of
transportation and communication and
I trust we never will be. A standing
army of civil employees Of the govern
ment is q far greater menace to our 10.
situations than our little army Of in.
fantry, cavelry and artillery. A bureau.
cracy OF government clerks, subject to
civil service examination and promotion
is not only the first step hut the first
mile post in the establishment Of
hereditary Office.
No sane person questions the wisdom
or possibility of municipal ownership Of
public conveniences. The real question
is how to bring it about and the par
ticular fear OF timid and apprehensive
persons lie lest the corporations having
the monopoly Of transportation or other
public franchise should have their
feelings iacerated. 1t lie suggested that
these privileged people be handled with
velvet gloves and approached with fear
and trembling. Which reminds one Of
the erstwbile famous song Of "Hilde-
brand Montrose" who advised his
sweetheart that az q token of recogni-
ton he would "sttike her with feather.
History does not show one instance
in which a monopoly has ever volun-
tarily made restitution to the people Of
rights Of which they had been despoiled.
The iron jaws that have closed Oh the
bone Of privilege never open nor even
relax until they are broken.
Municipal ownership Of public fran
chjses is successful in q number Of
Of cities and has failed Of being brought
to a elimination in others. But the
question has taken q firm hold. 1t is
permanently in the air and has come to
stay.
Brushing aside az visionary and i'm
practicable the peremptory SEIZURE OF
local franchises 40 advocated by our
anarchistic friends, two methods are
feasible. One is to pass and carry out
a legislature enactment by which the
property OF the monopoly is assessed to
it's actual value and then acquired by
the city. The second and perhaps best
method 10 to tax them out Of existence.
BY using the taxing powers Of the
municipal government to their utmost
limit, two birds are killed with one
stone, It takes the burden Of taxes
from real estate and places 1t upon the
shoulders Of public franchises. Then
keep on doing it until they are ready to
sell out or quit. This is in effect the
purport Of the Ford franchise tax bill
passed by the New York legislature and
which Governor Roosevelt had the
courage to sign in the teeth OF tho
greatest pressure ever brought to bear
upon a public man. The bill declares
all franchises granted by local suthori-
ties assessable az real estate.
These franchises are, az rule, the
most profitable kind Of property in the
community. They cost their possesaors
nothing or next to nothing and they
produce larger profits than any other