Evening star., 1899-04-15

pictures. possessing more artistic charm,
but he has never done anything more pow
erful or better suited for large public gal
lery. The effect chosen is that of late
evening, and a dark, stormy sky helps to
center the interest more forciby on the
spots of glowing sunset color along the
horizon.
At the meeting of the Water Color Club
held last Saturdaycin Miss Bertha Ferries
studio four new members were elected
Mrs. Allender, Mrs James Henry Moser,
Miss Saliie Humphreys and Miss Alice Fos-
ter. 1t was proposed that the members of
the club who are specially interested in out
door work should maketsa series of sketch
ing excursions together, and the plan
seemed to meet with general favor.
*
Among the paintings recently placed on
temporary exhibition in the loan collection
Of the Corcoran Gallery are portrait by
Prof. Andrews, loaned by Gen John c. I'm
derwood. Mr.. Robert HAnckley's portrait of
Gen Sheridan and an Old portrait of Major
Andre, painted by John Singleton Copley
and loaned by c. F. Gunther.
X
The Society of Washington Artists held
its monthly meeting on Tuesday evening
and the only important business transacted
was the adding of Mr.. Henry Morgan's
name to the membership roll. Both or
CARNATIONS have one more meeting during
the season, and after that the artists will
not assemble again until November.
Municipal Control of Railways, &c.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
In several recent editorial articles The
Evening Star has tolche5 ha
ject of the most profound interest of all
those problems in government awaiting So
luton. l refer to the subject of the munich
pal ownership and control of street rail-
roads. electric lighting, power and gas
plants.
The number of those who believe in the
necessity and practicability of municipal
ownership Of the public utilities is increas-
Ing by leaps and bounds. Towns and viii
lagos are preparing to take over this class
of properties. The city of Detroit is the larg-
est city so far to make the experiment Of
taking over street railroads. But the list of
those which have taken their gas and cleo
trio light plants is long
And why not? When no more than fair
price is paid, what sound objection is there?
Many good men are dubious as to the adj
visibility of adopting any proposition which
has ever been advocated by the poplist
party. 1t Is not right that We should be de-
which advocates the initiative. the referen-
dunn, fiat money and like extravagances
happened to advocate such good thing.
1t would be strange if the popuiists had not
chanced upon one or two correct PROPOSE
tions.
In regard to the question of municipal
ownership of public utilities 1t does not fol-
low that one who faYOrs such oWnersh1p or
street railroads must also. to be consistent,
favor state ownership of steam railroads.
The cases are by no means analogous. one
sufficient point of difference Is all that need
to be stated, as it is vital. Street railroad
corporations in municipalities have no prf-
vate right of way. They must use the pub
lie streets. Steam railroad corporations
own, by purchase or Gift, their own rlght
of way, except where they cross public
highways. In the first case the corpora
ton exists only by sufferance-by the grace
of the people. 1t has no such thing, IN a
proper sense, as a corporate vested rleht
that the people are bound TO respect How
can the Capital Traction corporation or the
Washington Gas Company acquire vested
right to public street that belongs TO
us, the people?
The people are everywhere finding out
that in SO far as concerns enterprises tnat
can only be established upon or under city
streets and alleys, there Is not the sllghtest
need to give them over to private owner
ship. They can be built by and for the
people more cheapT. o
Take. for instance. the case of the Bos-
ton subway. What an object lesson 1t at
fords! Contractors estimated the cost at
S7.OOO,OOO. Boston borrowed the money at
3 IL per cent INTEREST," and. the cost was
but $3,G1S,OOO. A fine, two and four-track
way 1T Is. The city (not being sufficiently
"advanced'' to operate trains through the
construction) leased it to the concern which
monopolizes the sHrfaef roads, for twen-
ty years. at A 7-S per cent on the cost. The
result will be that-in forty years the cost
will be reimbursed, Boston will have eaten
its cake and will Have it. Had the advice
of those who erefearrnl OF the municipal
ownership spook been taken, the people
would have lost this Hne property. And
what a blessing is the relief from the
contested surface trafis! The number of
passengers through the subway for the
year 1t has been open exceeded sixty mil
lions. This year the number Is expected to
reach one hundred millions. And then the
safety of it. Not life lost, or person In
jured On the other hand. eight persons
were killed by the surface roads in the
same time, and large number injured.
The admirable rese,t of one instance of
municipal ownership ii is safe to guess will
make Bostonese wfTen they come to pass
upon the question, of taking over all the
mine In favor of the proposition. 1t Is
in the air throughout the country. Even
here In Washington there are few per-
sons who feel the Importance of this ques-
tion- 1t Is to be regretted that SO few of
our business men seem to appreciate the
advantage 1t would be for us to own and
operate our own public light power and
street railroad plants.
And right here some public action might
be taken to warn the present owners of
these corporations that they should "go
slow In watering their evidences OF in
debtedness. That they have already added
large per cent of the aqueous fluid Is no