Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-08-27
HONE RUE FOR CITES
President Ashley OF the Munici-
pal League Delivers
Scorching Address.
Demands That the Cities and
Towns Be Divorced From
State Rule.
Municipal Ownership and Con.
troll Of Public Utilities is
Favored.

Grand Rapids, Mich. Aug. oT.-Two
hundred delegates We're present at the
opening session today of the sixth an
nual convention Of the League of Amer
lean Municipalities. in the Furniture
Exposition building. The address of
Rapids opened the morning session,
followed by an address by Charles >.
Ashley, mayor of New Bedford, Mass.
Ashley said much thought and DIS
cussion had been given TO the subject OF
municipal administration by members
of the league. and they had been the
cause of provoking concentrated alieh-
ton to the question of municipal own
ership Continuing on this topic, he
said:
Home rule for cities. No dependen-
CIV of city upon state. Each municipall-
ty should be law unto itself upon
matters purely local. We should have a
right to own and control public utili-
ties.
II ask you to note that say have a
right to own for DO not undertake 10
say that at this time in every commune
ity it would be feasible thing to en-
ercise that right. but in the nature OF
things it is a privilege which should
not be longer denied.
"Competition in public service COR
porations too often means consolidation
will follow. and the consumers eNentu-
ally pay all the bills.
pure monopoly means the price de-
manded will be far beyond fair ca
pacity of the debtor to pay Regulated
monopoly thru the instrumentallty OF
the state is a farce and practically
amounts to legalized bunco Right TO
enter into the field with municipal own
ership provides a means of SAYING 10
the oppressor. be square and decent
with us and we will pay proper pilce
to YOU: IL not, we ourselves VIII pay TO
ourselves, buy of ourselves. and the
amount expended will he that which OF
itself is right, and not what YOU eNtore.
This would come pretty nearly to regu-
lation that would regulate and the reg
ulator is the party naturally ana right
fully the one to do it"
An experience of eight years IN the
mayoralty office has brought me face
70 face with the state and it's servants
nc we'll as with the great companies
and their officers. [ am referring 10
.,.hitrary acts of great organizations;
To unreasonable schedules ana rates
of charges: to high prices and poor
service: to everlasting greed. big ploil's
and soft snaps. If it is true laat an
Individual or firm is entitled To oniS
what is fair as a return on business
investment, it is equally true of grea,
corporations which exist by license ol
the state and are the creatures entirely
of law. and have no inherent right TO
receive more than what Is right and
Just.
"Great public utility monopolies are
fertile in resources and learned In
trickery The field being granted u
them ostensibly TO protect the people
from ultimate results of competitive
warfare; they supply water enough
to make large dividends shrink to fig
ures norninally res pectable; bond issues
being floated and all the machinery OF
a thousand devices for concealing as
sets having been set in motion, the
state in it's wisdom creates its boards
and bureaus to restrict. regulate and
control. And the quality of this SUI
pervision is poor: the size and strength
The state : arm wien IdiStti III Oc-
half of the city's people is weak: in the
words of the song. You can hardly no.
tice it at all.
I do not urge municipal ownership
as a club to eXterminate but rathe:
rs a means to remedy and solution.
With it you can light and heat your
own civic households: and ride in your
own streets and Ways, ana lead your
electric wires wherever electricity has
duty to perform. j charge no COR
ruption upon agents of the state: the
fault is in the systems. They are not
by the tenor of their appointment sub
ject TO any control Of the city: they
come in daily contact With The com
panies and their representatives and
they learn and think as their visitors
think. They lose their identity as citi-
zens themselves and have come regard
less of the peoples voice as too brazen
and out of tune.
Give us home rule for cities. in
dependence of the state in matters of
purely local concern, freedom from
guardianship and the right to do as we
will with our own"