The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-27
Weekly Letter on
Municipal affairs
XLVI.-BOSTON A CENTER OF
MUNICIPAL SOCIALISM.

| IIF. 'lI 4 pf Boston Is more t.lIgi>n III us
| civic practices than any other American
| u municipality. The latest freak OF this kind
| is a proposal to establish crcma,ory fol
| the disposition Of the unclaimed pauper dead
| and such other human bodies as would natural!
| find resting place in the 'pottcr'S field Be
| sides this. it is intended to open the plant for
| general use OF the public on the payment Of a
small fee and. it is anticipated, that the revenues
| will exceed the expenditures. Several cities OF
| Great Britain. including certain borouGhs of Lon.
don have had similar plants in successful opera
| ton for the past ten years. therefore Boston
| thinks She can duplicate the undertaking with
profit.
! A large number of Bostou's eli tzcns however,
| do not concur with the municipal authorities
who are behind the project. While the oppoSers
have no particular antipathy to this method Of
! getting rid OF the dead-indcrd, they favor the
system--they do not think that the plant can be
run on business principles. that i, is too grave
an enterprise 10 put into the hands OF the frvo-
lons aldermen, and, therefore. they urge. that
it be left to the enterprise OF private parties.
Since the failures of the municipal ice plant
and the electric lighting. construction and re-
pair department. the people take less kindly to
municipal ownership schemes proposed by the
socialists Of the town. In both these plants. Il
thorough investigation revealed padded pay
roll, and not only that hut lot Of incompctents
who did more damage than good wherever they
performed any work. They were kept on the pay
roll because they were good henchmen OF certain
ward leaders For this reasons opposition is more
difficult to overcome than formerly. and it is
quite likely this latest proposal will he defeated
Although Boston is infested with ward hcelcrs
and MACHINE politicians who are "in it, for. the
spoS, She is not hoSS-ridden other cities
of her size. But machine rule has been. and is,
enough in evidence 10 threaten the life OF certain
institutions, and particularly that of the mun.
cipal printing plant, which was inaugurated in
1897.
When the plant created large printing
house supply company which had large over
plus OF ont .Ot.litc and comparatively useless
material, with discriminating application OF
grease to certain portions OF the municipal
machinery, succeeded in loading stock on to tho
city OF Boston, and the scheme was launched
under unfair conditions.
pom the election of Mayor Hart. a most
searching Investigation was made, beginning with
the public ownership ventures and two Of them
were put out OF existence because they were
found TO be worse Than uSclcss-'a positive OK
prIi>e to the city. The printing plant, according
to the report of the expert accountant recently
made. was found 10 have II fighting chance Tor
life. and Mayor Hart determined to eliminate
politics from its control so far as possible The
outcome OF u recent episode in this connection
demonstrates the mayors sincerity OF purpose
and augurs well for the future success Of the
plant. One Of the aldemanic leaders called on
the superintendent OF the printing plant the
other day and said:
~ have Young lady friend in my ward who
wants ioh in your department.
"What can she do asked I'll" superintendent.
"Oh, don't know" replied the alderman.
Is she a stenograpIer and typewriter, or can
She write good hand?" continued the superin.
tcudcnt.
SI,n .ip't ia, him 1it I nf h,,t
she wants iob, aud want her 10 have job:
there's room in here for more, and what
say goes See!'
'Wcll, all ! have TO say Mr. Alderman, ia
that do not need any more help, and shall
moi appoint her"
wen about that. said the alderman.
''i'll get an ordinance passed at the next meet
ing OF the council creating position for her in
this department" And he did, hut Mavor Hart
sustained the action OF the superintendent and
vetoed the ordinance
The expert accountant, in his report, said: "A
municipal printing plant such aS this one. with
all The presses, type. rules, etc., especially de-
signed to handle the regular work of the city.
would save money over private plant.
"Another and more evident merit OF the nuni-
cipal plant is the direct benefit to the employees
therein, whose hours of labor have been Slort-
Cncd, holidays granted, and wages increased This
consideration is an important one, and to be
highly commended aud cont Timed but the good
results Of such a policy should, of course, he
made evident in The financial results OF the
plant.
"rhe discontinnance OF the plant would ba a
public misfortune, but, in my opinion, It can be
avoided only by a rigid adherence to business
principles IN lis management, including the ap-
poinimcnt and removal Of employees. There is
no doubt in my mind That II TO 90 per cent
OF the expenses OF the department would be
saved II the pressure of political influence in
favor OF applicants Tor positions was wholly re.
moved, and the superintendent left entirely free
to run his department a. a private business ia
carried on, appointing experienced and capable
employees only, and purchasing his materials
Wherever they can be bought at the lowest
prices,
with the plant run as a business solely
for the benefit of the city as whole. there Is
no doubt in my mind that all expenses can he
paid the cost to departments reduced. and a
profit shown by the plant sufficient to ultimately
reimburse the city for the capital expenditure in
the plant"