Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-02-26

tr1hufi1n q municipal EtHtisura renting
II the best r1sthsds Of supplying comnsrcisi
wautH-
The FIRST paper read. Recent History Of
Municipal OwnsrHhip IN the United States.
was prepared under the direction Of the
late Charles waldo Haskins. eaan Of the
New York University School Of oomnerce.
and was read by Joseph z. Johnson. tbs
present dean of the schnnl
n -rf-Ete corrupsisn Aids state.
Clinton Rogers woodruff Of Philadelphia
made the next address, in which be said:
what Is the cause OF the undeuiable
growth % popular interest IN the municipal
Ownership q public service frEnchtse2
reply that the movement is primarily Due
70 the popular inciEnatinn 81 the corrupt
ness and degradation incies7t 70 the poncy
awakening 70 an apprecia uun OF the
danEsrs lI1rizihE IN the shadows Of s1ch re-
lations hips as now exist between city gov
srumen1s and private corporations There
Is an ethical reaCtfan against such practice
4 have briefly mentioned and II Il mani
testing Itself IN a demand for municipal
ownership.
As vet duubt whether there is any very
general feeling on the essential turro-
J--ietv ana imrnorality of 3 poncy which
permits priTate concerns 10 ENJOY PUBIC
privileges for their private profit
What Inherent riaht has any tndfvtd llal
10 become rich through the grant Of a
municipal franchise o. privilege
nave Dh6Ll LuF lGILn llAAAg4fthA 0NAtHI-
snip thr0urhouf my remarks Es cistin-
guished frorn private ownership. J have
not used Il % Include OF imply municipal
cause for some time 10 come IN most plar &c
win have 10 utilize private concerns and
their experianoe and b1sines4 czpBclty. but
Only as aEents and not as principals
IN nther E1rdR. rne rszRfezlsa- -1nn Q.
pfiVate co1ce-nE must be limited 10 q fair
more.
Mayer Urquhart Of Tvrouto referred to
the success Of municipal 0Nnership OF the
water works IN New York
payer on Comparison Of European and
American Methods" prepared BY Robert p.
Porter. director u the census Of the United
States. was read by John P. Martin. ser
IetHry of the convention
Mr. Porter coutended that municipal oEn-
ership tended 70 producs large bodies OF
privileged workmen. ala not. In practice
give any material financial assistance 10
the community, and resulted in a less ef-
fsctive ,ssrviee-
soeeeeds iA Great Britaia-
Robert Donald. editor Of the Municipal
Journal Of London. partially replied to MT.
Porter.
He said in part;
Almost all the large cities Of Great
trsmwayE The London County Council IS
Operating seventy-tro and hslf miles
ana e building leo Iniles. Giasggv owns and
operates 1g3 miles. Liverpool ninety. Euin-
1urgh owns lines and a company operRtes
them Companies are confined TO the
smaller towns IN Ene land and scotland
one OF the elements which helped forward
TIE muricipaliEarion movement was the
io77sd their uuaertRkings 70 become dilapi-
Ge1sd toward he latter end q their leases.
hey paid thetr worlCmen 50 dtsEraeefuity
II nHt there were csr-iols strikes Cars were
NJ horses bad. service irregular.
Hhe advantages Of municipal ownership
are considerable II regulates fares pro-
vides for worktHgmeu's cars AM fair treat
rneur 10 enuTsoVes All this hesides q
yearly rental ~bsn the iines are leased.
prevent co-eperation between municipalities
Nu g large scale.
has not been 70 make profit In relief of
local tEEAtion, 5ut 70 carry ne greatest
possible number OF persons the longest
possible distance Rt The lowest possible
81 the END q the present year most of
tn municipalities Wti have complete Eys-
bans OF electric traction and in almost al
oVnership q street railways Is likely 70 bs
prlses WIu be- confined chiefly 70 linking
towns together and opening up rural dis-
rrir-s-
Charles T Ysrkes. speaking later
claimed that municipalities always. OF
practically slways. operated public tran
as compared win private owners.
Thsnks Aa~rf-an Cousins
C. r BsIlEmy. general manager Of the
raunicipal street railways IN Liverpool
spoke IN fuvor q municipal ownership.
He said
There are rWo forms Of profit attendinE
Uuuic-F1l EnoertakIuE. ths profit thai
results 70 the individual ~ reason Of IN
creased 1lc-ltles "a better articles AZ Lower
rates, and the prOnt that stands oUt as Z
net balance after an financial ubneH lions
have been met The latler j. lutmpnrtkui
n the first b. cunsidera Die. hui hofh ar
Substantial under municipal management
H referred 20 the criticism OF British
systems by Americans and sddsd
oar American cousins are kindly oferius
"a Essistanc= al dealing With Questious Gi
trans Filrlatinu n London though the re
QCiremEnts In New Eork strike me a. be
Ths municipaillarion OF rramways n
lArEer towns ear b. carried out win per
fect security 20 the Ereai and lasting ID
TantaEe of the whole community
Edward n Shepard spOks on city 0wn-
ing and leasing ana explained the msthOt
that had been taken with The constructioI
q TIE rapid trrusit subway.
He said
T1ose Eho ariticise ths Iszsing o. n.
raEad trlE.sit ruad fer ffIy ysErs must re
Ulsmher hat mtn three years ago theT'
NaF uot q rEilrQac Or nnanCier Who Wuut
Hnuerllke 90 llld rhe ruaa- To-Day m
prut1s IN siEht OF the contract are S1l
hereafter municipal curstrl ctiun IL tn
transit lies VII Be carried on
HurriesHe Nisits san0aR GrsuR.
lfONOLI-LT. Feh M-Ths Island of tn
tuiia and fhe Samoan group Eer.eruilY usr,
~ y H.r -.