The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-03-25
Gaining in ING!
? popularity
Views on Public Ownership
nnd Control of Natural Monopo-
lies. ... :,
tsSs5 by ID. "A. Petre.
M 7 i have sometimes to get out
Wv side our own narrow lines OF
environment, and by the
by ID. a. Petre.

study Of other peoples methods OF con-
:sdrcting their public affairs, to discover
our backwardness. in the introduction
sof newer systems for the betterment
sof society at large. The question as to
how the national government; the sey-
eral states and the various municipali-
ties within them, shall afford a better
and more unique system for the con-
duct of public affairs is the question
at issue. Under the plan so largely in
vogue in our cities, the principal of
granting private franchises, has too
largely obtained. These special gifts
Ito private enterprise as a rule (like all
monopoly have operated to their spe-
scial benefit, and have fixed a high
charge upon all of the users and con-
srmers Under this system the aim
of the owners of these special fran
chise, is to bond their holdings (us-
snally for several times the cost of
Eonstruction) which. means that they
have to provide an additional income
to meet interest. charges; this Of
course the public have to pay in the
shape Of extra rents;, and should a
particular munici ipaiity, at some sub
sequent period seek to acquire the
property with the view to cheapening
charges they are confronted with the
elephant bond, and its consort inter
=Sest. What now! the people say, how
} are we going to be bettered when we
shall have to meet the same fixed
charges? Suddenly, however, a few
thinking themselves to be solons
though by many considered = = = - =
! won't say what come forward and
contend that the public should not
acquire property at fabulous and
padded prices; and then commences
, -. the
franchise grabbers, they say, hold on,
catch thief, etc., etc, this is the ex-5
perience that most Of us have wit
! . .F5T
messed; but how about the other thief?
That does not count. Thus these pri-
vate franchises have worked no end
of i'll feeling and countless litigation,
which the people in the long run have
ITO pay for. My prelude has perhaps
been too extended, but after perusing
the following figures and very inter
esting conditions. that prevail in many
other countries, in respect to public
5 ownership, trust my previous re-
marks will not prove uninteresting.
Before proceeding further, however,
one remark may be to the point. It
is a common saying, when one refers
/ to other countries sthat they are old
er institutions, while we; are in our
infancy" for sooth it seems to the
writer that. this is a child-like excuse,
as ifswith bright examples before us,
we ! could not read wisdom out of
chaos. I will now proceed to show up
some of the manifold benefits which
have accrued to the public not only
in other countries, but in our own
America, under a system of public
ownership. We will imagine our
selves in the City of Glasgow, Scot
Lind, a town of 4 no % m! mean pretelnsionms ms
and containing a population Of honest,
capable and Industrious people, and
L will seek to show wherein the public
{ have been benefited in various ways,
under a system which in this country
would be termed paternalism (by poll
ticians). In 1869 the city OF, Glasgow
acquired its own gas plant when gas
was being sold to consumers at $1.14
per thousand feet; it is now furnish
ing its patrons at .60c per thousand
and setting aside sinking fund to
meet its Indebtedness as it becomes
due, notwithstanding the fact that
gas coal has become dearer. The city
has also begun to supply it's custom
ers with gas-cooking stoves; in 1892
having rented out some 5000 to pri-
! vate persons. When we come to minor
auNiliaries we find public wash houses,
i'll which persons can do their washing
by the payment of 4c an hour; it is
also true that this city conducts a
general laundry business What a
howl would go up here if such an in
auguration would be set a-foot, and
still this movement is of large bene-
fit to the people and of profit to the
city (the people,. Another strange
symptom which strengthens the COM
mon pulse in this phenomenal city, is
the conduct of city boarding houses,
which are open to all at the lowest
rates consistent with cleanliness, at