The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-31
PROBLEMS OF MUNICIPAL OWNER
SHTE

| The question Of municipal ownership of
| public utilities, while not imminent in this
community, appears to be making steady
progress in other parts of the United
| States, and perhaps. some day, public
| opinion in Minnesota may be aroused to
a realization Of the desirability of such
ownership. But before that time comes it
will have to be preceded by the adoption,
or strongly expressed desire for the
adoption of civil service rules and methods
in all departments of municipal govern
ment, for witheutsssuch "a system, and
| the rigid enforeementsathereof, municipal
ownership would. simply open the doors
| to the spoilsnanlandaa afford "a wide field
| for all forms of eorrup tiofss aid the tax
payers would be infinitely worse off than
| at present.
! The community last seized with the de-
sire for municipal ownership is that Of
| the city. of Topeka, Kan, where the pres
| ent city officials have recommended that
| the next state legislature be asked to
pass a law embodying the following four
propositions:
First-Authorizing cities of the first.
| second and third classes to condemn and
| purchase water, gas and electric light
Second-Authorizing cities to levy tax
| upon all telegraph. telephone and cleo
| trio light poles.
| Notwithstanding cities to assess all
| franchises owned by any person or corr
| poration, the assessment to be base
upon the same valuation as corporeai
Fourth-To prohibit cities from grant
| ing franchises to any corporation not o.
! ganized under the laws of the state OF
| Kansas.
| But, as before stated, the success of the
plan of municipalities owning and operat-
ing public utilities, such as this proposed
bill contemplates, is almost entirely de-
| pendent upon the elimination of politics
| from all or nearly all the departments
! of city government, an awful possibility
or nerhaps it would be more correct to
| saw an awful impossibility-which the
minds of the controlling politicians of the
| city of st. Paul cannot seriously contem-
| Mate. and which but one or two "ad-
yanced" citizens have even considered.
I That the elimination of partisan politics
from city government is essential to the
very existence of municipal ownership is
emphasized by the statement made re-
| Gently In an Eastern paper by Mr.. Michael
Simons, a magistrate of the city of Glas-
gov. and for nine years an alderman Of
that city. He says:
'The success. of municipal ownership
| in Glasgow Is beyond any question of
doubt The city now owns it's water, gas.
electric plant for both power and lighting.
| and the traction or street railways. In
| short time we expect to have our own
telephone system in operation
He then goes on to say that the cost of
operating the street railway system has
been reduced fully so per cent, and during
certain hours working people are allowed
to ride for / cent The lines have made
| a handsome profit, and are to be extend
ed into the country districts. Yearly
| tickets at low cost are to be issued short
Iy. And, singular to say, all the ma
chinery and appliances have been pur-
chased in the United States.
Glasgow's water system, says Mr..
Simons, is in an equally satisfactory con-
dition. Rates are based on the rental
value of the property. and the rate
charged has been reduced more than one
half. The same is true of gas, which now
costs the consumer 81 cents per 1000 feet.
But the really significant statement
which Mr.. Simons makes. and which bears
out the contention made above as to civil
service being condition precedent for