The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-04-29
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.
THE CITY FOR THE PEOPLE. REVENUES
FROM ALL PUBLIC UTILITIES BELONG IN
THE CITY TREASURY.
BY a Denver Preacher.


government, and that with much inn
proved service of transportation, bet
ter labor conditions and much lower
fares than had been the case while the
street cars were owned by private
corporation.
In New York Mayor Strong said that
the revenue from the city water sup
ply was, if properly applied, sufficient
to meet all the expenses of the city.
The Justice Of home rule and the
benefits of civil service are so univers-
ally conceded as to need no argument.
Direct legislation has proved its eff
cheney in Switzerland, which, POLITICAL
l.y, is the model republic of the world.
If you speak with your neighbors On
these matters nine out of ten of them
are heartily tired of the present con-
ditions, but as each oAe is out of touch
with his fellows and as so many do
not understand the causes of the diff
cuties, to say nothing of how to REM
edy them, the net result Of the discon-
tent, universal as it is, is an OCCASION
al kick in the press, or when some par
ticularly atrocious act has been perpe-
trated there may be protest in the
city council or even a motion in one Of
the law courts: Then all quiets down
again. The trouble is not that people
are not ready for a change, but that
they are not ready to get it. There is
no united effort. People are out of
touch with each other. One of our
statesmen said The way to resume is
to resume and, friends, the way to
get united action is to unite.
Friends and fellow citizens, you who
believe that we should have, "a city cf
and for the people, 1 suggest, urge
upon you that we join together to form
a non partisan league to work for this
end-to voice the discomfort and bring
about the changes that are needed.
One dozen earnest men and women
united, can move nultitude-a hun
dred can move the city.
To get to practical details, would
suggest some of the things that in my
mind are essential to the success of
such an organization. First: It must
be strictly non-partisan, and not at
tempt to work outside Of the definite
object for which it is organized. Sec
ond: Its work must be educational and
political. Third: All its work must. be
based on principle. If it attacks OF
supports corporation or an individual
it must be because they represent Il
principle, and not as individuals. Its
name should state its object, and I
would suggest calling it ''The City
Charter Club
In the Island of Skye in Scotland, for
generation after generation, the croft
ers had titled their little crofts, or
farms of few acres. Presently veal
thy folk with nothing to fill their
lives, grudged them the wild beauty
of their island. 1t would be such Il
splendid place to hunt deer in.
The injustice to be wrought called
out the Indignation of all the common
people; petition after petition, protest
after protest was made; but all were
unavailing. \ factor and his deputies
were put in charge and the evictions
began.
In desperation, and plucl<ing desper-
alton from despair, the crofters rallied.
Raising the slogan '"rlre land for the
people"-''onr homes for our BARNS
they banded together, made prisoner
of the factor, and then swept the hills;
driving the deer and sheep from the
island and into the sea.
The slogan, ''The land for the peo-
ple," rang round the world. 1t spoke
VI u ACl Jaw tihttiA GIL AoSoNN WI
parchment-and those who loved JUS
tjcc rejoiced.
Today, we, too, have a call to action
''The city for the people," Our cities,
which are the homes of communities
instead of being organized and carried
on for the benefit of all the citizens
have only too often been sold for a
small price to become the hunting
grounds of private corporations. An:
| as the crofters not only had to pay
rent, but were constantly having theil
crops eaten by the deer and sheep o1
the land lords, so we not only have te
meet the direct toll levied by the cor
polations, but also have to support al
! the political and social parasites fos
tered by them. Let us free ourselves
of this incubus, sweep away such un
just conditions, not merely because i