The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-11
Lieh, on Municipal Questions.

with more zeal than knowledge oy the
defeated party. Chief among these
were the initiative and referendum. and
the theory of municipal ownership and
operation Of all the so-called public util-
tiles. AS TO the former. 1t is sufficient
to say that the principles OF the initia-
tive and referendum are already in ef-
feet as far as it is desirable, perhaps as
far as 1t is possible. to practice them.
Thus the proposal OF the Northern Pa
MED by the council. was also a feature
Of the campaign. Both platforms de-
clared against 1t, and it is as incon-
ceivable that 1t should receive favorable
consideration hereafter as It would have
been under the referendum plan.
The composite arrangement declared
against the consolidated street railway
franchise. and there is no question that
this contributed no little TO their defeat.
The people OF Seattle want a good street
railway service. and they want 1t now.
They have no use for vague propositions
Of municipal ownership which could not
be realized, under most favoring condi-
tons. for something like generation. Il
is accepted by all that the vote on Tues
day rejected the abstract theory. while
It was also as direct an approval of the
action of the council in passing the
franchise as IL that had been referred to
them explicitly under the populistic
plan.
In addition to this, six amendments to
the city charter were adopted. Some OF
these originated with the council. at
least one of them was the Immediate
offspring Of public opinion. In all these
cases the people were consulted, and rat
fled the action OF their representatives.
The facts show that the representative
system. which is the system that under
lies our national. state and local gov
ernments. is as responsive to the will of
the people as pure democracy would
be; that IL contains every advantage
claimed to inhere in the initiative and
referendum. and that these latter inno-
vations could not secure to the people
larger rights or ampler protection. but
must merely revolutionlze the form OF
government with an absolute loss in ef-
fciency.
Most decisive and fortunate Is the
negative that was given to the NUM-
cipal ownership idea 1t captivated
many intelligent people. who grasped its
theoretical promise without under
standing the terrible practical dangers
that are inseparable from 1t. When men
grow perfect and governments are mod
eled upon their divine characters. mu-
nicipal ownership will be practicable
and safe. 1t viii also then become I'M
necessary and Indifferent. AT the pres
ent time with men and political systems
and methods what they are, IL can
scarcely be called an experiment. 1t is
the herald Of certain disaster; and there
are some recent developments In It's
field that are worth bringing to public
notice now. when they can be pondered
dispassionately and without the suspi-
eion that they are cited for political or
party effect.
The Third Avenue Railroad Company,
OF New York city. has recently gone into
the hands Of a receiver as the result Of
n political connection. This was one Of
the wealthiest corporations engaged IN
surface transit in the metropolis. II
paid 10 per cent. dividends. and It's stock
sold at $50 per cent. premium. II be-
came necessary 10 dispense with horses
and adopt modern motive power. The
COS, was estimated at sl2.000oo0. The
capital Of the company was increases.
from $4,000 600 to 81. eooO oa. making
81. 900 90 available FOR the work. But
10 do It certain permits from the city
were required, and to obtain them the
sob had 10 he let 10 contractor who
had "lnauenes'' vita the Tammauy o.
( iacials. Now the money is all spent.
creditors are clamoring Tor payment az
their bills. the work Is unfinished and
a receivership ends the tale. who
( 2auhts that. u Tammany had possessed
a alFeei Instead % an indirect control.
( The result would have differed from
wha; actually happened only in the alb
ernra ~ a ~a-agsearxs,fr ara a. 81,