The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-26
SHOULD FRANCHISES
BE OWNED BY
The CITY?
Question Answered Both. At
firmatively and Negatively
in New York Convention
Robert P. Porter Gives
Municipal Ownership a
Black Eye.

NEW YORK. Feb. 25.-The conven-
ton on municipal ownership and franz
chlses opened here today. There was
a good attendance and the programme
gives promise of some interesting dis
cusslons on municipal topics. John
q. Agar, in his welcoming address.
said:
The Reform club, in organizing
this convention and inviting the inter-
change Of views on these subjects.
does not mean to profess any opinion
oil the principles involved The main
clfdculty has been the absence of the
evidences of experience and this con-
Vention has been called for the pur-
pose Of furnishing facts and Informal
ton and Of organizing a permanent
bureau for the collection and distrI-
button of such municipal statistics re-
Iating to the best method Of supplying
commercial wants."
The first paper read, Recent His
tory of Municipal Ownership in the
United States" was prepared under
the direction of the late Charles Waldo
Haskins, dean of the University School
of Commerce Of New York. and was
read by Joseph E. Johnson, the present
dean OF the school.
Cause of Discomfort.
Clinton Rogers Woodruff, of PhiIa-
de1phia, made the next address He
said:
What is the cause of the undenf-
abb. growth of popular interest in the
municipal ownership Of public service
franchises? 1 reply that the move
ic T0Viy7o
indignation felt at the corruptness
and cegredation incident to the poll
cy of private ownership. The people
are awakening to an appreciation of
the dangers lurking in the shadows Of
such relationships as now exist BE-
tween city governments and private
corporations. There is an ethical re-
action against such practice as 1 have
briefly mentioned and it is manifest
ing itself in a demand for municipal
ownership The compensation Of pri-
Vate concerns must be limited to a
fair return for the services rendered
and no more"
discussion, referred to the. success of
municipal ownership of the water
works in his city.
WICK DlaHkGG rom Porter.
A paper on Comparison of Euro
pean and American Methods and Re-
SUITS prepared by Robert P Porter,
director of the eleventh census of the
United States, was read by John P.
Martin, secretary Of the convention.
The paper contained this:
During the last few years most OF
the advantages of municipal owner
ship have been exploded. There Is no
proof that the consumer is especially
benefited. The service is equally good
in the United States under private en-.
terprise and the cost relative to the
cost of labor and of raw material no
more. AS has been said by Mr.. Davies
before the Society Of Arts, SO far from
municipal enterprises being a check
on the evil of trusts, 1t will, upon ex-
animation, be found to expose the con-
sumner to all the oppressive conditions
of the American combine"
A paper on Recent British Expert
ence of Municipal Ownership" by
Robert Donald, editor of the Munich
pal Journal, of London, was a partial
answer to Mr.. Porter's paper and was
read by the secretary. Mr.. Donald
says the results of the experiments
are satisfactory to the people.
Milo r. Malbie, in opening the dis
cussiOn, compared municipal enterprise
and private enterprise In England. He
said:
Wages are higher service is better
and profits are almost as great under
municipal control as under private
owners. The managers, If not the best
men, are among the best in the COM
munity, and a certain social standing
is given to men thus employed"
Also Favors the Idea.
G. r. Bellamy, general manager of
the municipal street railways in Liv-
erpool, spoke in favor Of municipal
ownership. He said:
There are two forms of profit at
tending a municipal understanding:
the profit that results to the individual
by reason Of increased facilities or bet
ter articles at lower rates and the
profit that stands out as net balance
after all financial obligations have
been met. The latter is unimportant
IL the first is considerable, but both
are substantial under municipal man
agement"
He referred to the criticism Of Brit
ish system by Americans, and added:,
Our American cousins are kindly Of
fering us assistance in dealing with
questions Of transport In London,
though the requirements in New York
strike me as being much more press
ing"
Charles T. Yerkes being absent, his
paper was read by the secretary. The
paper argued that municipal owner
ship could not be successful. Rail-
roads were best managed by railroad
COMPATIBILITY men who have had
lifelong experience In such work.
Edward M. Shepard spoke on Getty
Owning and Leasing and explained
the method that had been taken with
the construction Of the rapid transit
subway. He said:
Those who criticise the leasing Of
the rapid transit road for fifty years
must remember that until three years
ago there was not railroad or f1nan-
c1er who would undertake to build the
road. Today the profit in sight on the
contract is $30,00O,000. and I believe it
may be $50O00,OOO. Hereafter munic-
1pal construction in the transit lines
will be carried on"
RAILROAD PRESIDENT FOR
MAYOR OF CINCINNATI.
M, z inuatIs Candidate nj Democrats and