The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-06-20
American cities, we believe. own their

American cities, we believe, own their
own streets except such parts of them
as they have given away to street car
companies. Most bridges are owned
by the public, although there are some
toll bridges still, the same is true Of
highways, although there may be some
toll roads, Minneapolis owns and op-
crates her own water supply, yet there
are many cities which do not Min
neapolis does not own her gas supply
nor her electric lighting plant but
many American towns do. NIinneap-
Oils does not own or operate her street
railway lines, but there are some much
larger European cities which do and
there are some large American cities
which are thinking very strongly of do
ing SO. The people of Minneapolis
would not entertain for an instant a
proposition to turn our streets over to
some private corporation to run and
keep i'll repair in return for which the
citizens who use the streets should
pay the corporation for the use thereof.
But it may be said, that there is moth
ing identical between the building,
maintaining, and operating of streets,
and the building, maintaining and
operating of street car lines. The
difference we believe is largely
imaginary and due to the fact
that people are accustomed to
view one as public function, and the
other as 4 private one. Minneapolis
would not consent to turn her water
supply over to private corporation to
operate. Is there any great difference
between water supply and gas supply?
No one advocates turning the public
streets over to private corporations just
because the city finds it necessary to
employ men to work on the streets
These men are in politics. They get
the different wards. But they are not
in politics as much as the street car
service.
The political argument against pub
lie ownership will not hold good. Our
police and our fire department even
without civil service rules are not
mixed in politics anywhere near as
much as these private corporations,
which enter our city council chamber
and state legislature and our courts,
through their agents and by fair or
foul means accomplish their designs
The problem is not how to keep them
out of politics, for they are already in,
but how to put them out.
In every case of bribery there are
two parties to the crime. The Dribed
times detected and punished, the briber
scarcely ever. Public ownership of
municipal public service corporations
would put absolutely out of business
the largest and boldest class of
bribers known in American cities, the
officers and agents of that class of
corporations. If the briber is removed
the bribed Of necessity goes with him.
The terrible corruption in American
cities is directly traceable in large part
to the class Of corporations above
named. Public attention is always di-
rected to the bribed, but seldom to the
briber. Who were the bribers in st.
Louis, in Pittsburg, in Scranton and at
Jefferson City? If there are any pub
lie service corporations not in politics
1--WE know Of none) by all means keep
them out. The more important con-
sderation however, is to divise plans
to put those already in politics out for
good and all.