The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-24
MN1cIpAL SOCIALISM.

y
The action of the London electorate in
ordering the purchase by. the. community
of the water supply and of the facilities
of local transportation has given great
impetus to the movement of municipal
ownership in the United States. At
least it has had the effect of greatly pro-
noting the discussion of the subject in
American prints; and the inquiry is be-
ing made generally why, if the city OF
London thinks it wise and proper to oper-
ate its own public facilities, we in the
do likewise.
Of course there is grand variety Of
answers which might be made to this in
quiry, some of them more, some less con-
vincing Whatever course the American
cities may take in this matter finally the
circumstance of the British metropolis
taking such position is not in itself at
all remarkable thing. London is SIM
ply years behind the more progressive Of
the British cities. Prescriptive right or
what was looked upon as rrescriptive
right. led the people of London to SUBJ
NIT for generations to the most shame
less exaction on the part of the old
water monopoly.
English cities have an extraordinary
record in the matter of the class of I'M
dertakings which are assumed on behalf
of the municipality. Not only are pablo
or quasi-public functions discharged; but
day after day applications are made to
the parliament to permit municipalities to
invade the domain of private industry in
one or other direction Municipal trad
ing is an accomplished fact in English
communities. 1t is not on the decline.
On the contrary the extraordinary range
of industries in which British municipali-
ties are engaged is daily increasing.
Here is a published list of a few of the
lines of private industry in which Eng
lish cities r. e'thar actually engaged
In conducting, or are making prepara-
lions under parliamentary authority to
houses, cold storage, artisans private
dwellings,, baths and wash houses, man
ufacture and sale of ice, abbatoirs, nur-
series, crematories and recreation
grounds, shops and bazaars, and even
liquor saloons; fire insurance, real es-
tate, coal supply, tailoring, printing, ele-
vator manufacture, saddlery and cleo
trio fittings. Some cities have, we are
informed, also asked parliament for per-
mission to do the banking Of their own
people.
1t is very much to be doubted whether
there ever will exist such a condition
of public sentiment in the United States
as will tolerate the engagement Of Amer
lean cities generally or at all in the
private business undertaking. At this
time the wisdom Of enga ging- in the dis
charge of many OF the quasi-public I'M
dertakings, such as electric and gas
lighting and street car transportation,
is very much in dispute
Let us regard the attitude of the Eng
lish cities as we may, the position they
take in this behalf represents naked So
cialism. Once it is conceded that a given
community can engage itself in the pro-
duction of any given article of general
use or consumption, whether in competi
ton with private producers or otherwise,
the fullest concession is made of the
legitimacy and wisdom of the socialistic
state.
1t is quite plain, judging from the adj
Vances which English society has already
made and the seriously divided condi-
ton of English public sentiment on the
subject of the safety and wisdom of the
public undertaking such work, that we
nave long way to travel in the United
States before we come to the general
realization of the idea of municipal own
ership.