The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-06-20
CORPORATIONS in POLITICS.

CORPORATIONS In POLITICS..
The opponents of the movements for
public ownership Of public service
corporations, in Chicago, Cleveland,
and other cities are advancing the old
proposition "that we must keep these
forces out of politics. Public owner
ship Of street railways. gas works, and
electric lighting plants, they assert,
would add great army of men to the
public pay roll and thus create large
political force whose interests would
lead them to work and vote for the
party or men from whom they re-
ceived their jobs. At first thought this
argument seems to present a formid-
able objection to the public ownership
Of public service corporations, which
enjoy natural monopolies. 1t is indeed
desirable that the number of those
who hold what are considered polit-
ical jobs should be as few as possible
But will some one please tell us what
private corporation enjoying special
privileges from the city Of Minneap-
oils and engaged in what is called a
natural monopoly is not now i'll pol
tiles? We are greatly mistaken it
gagged in politics than they would be
if operated by the city. What gas
plants, what transit companies, what
telephone companies, are so thoroughly
in politics as those operated by private
corporations? Is there any one so
simple minded as to believe that these
companies are not actively engaged in
carrying elections and manipulating
public offices after election? Most of
the corruption in large cities is direct
ly tlaceable to private corporations
which have obtained valuable fran
chises from the city for nothing. Com
panes to which the people have given
up the streets and which are protect
ed from all competition by franchise
given them gratis by the peoples rep
most part show their appreciation Of
! their special privileges by using large
part Of the money, which should have
been paid into the public treasury in
return for their franchises, to corrupt
voters and more often to bride public
officials into allowing them to escape
their fair share Of public duties and
burdens. Money which rightly be-
longs in the public treasury is used
to still further add to the burden of
| the ordinary tax payer and to corrupt
the body polite. Yes, street railways
| and gas works and electric lighting
plants are now in politics with ven
geance. Which is more in politics III
the city of Minneapolis, the Twin City
Rapid Transit Company or the Water
Supply department Of the city govern
ment? The former is private corp
Grafton, performing public service
the latter department Of the munich
pal corporation, performing a public
service. Which is more in politics ii
the state of Minnesota, the Great
Northern Railway Company or the
public school system Of the state? The
former is private corporation, per
forming quasi public service and thu
latter is a department of our state
government performing a public serv
ice. We agree with those who are
jealous Of adding any great number
of people to the already large list OF
those who receive their pay direct frou
the United States government or iron
the state or city governments. W.
agree with them because every step ii
that direction is step toward state
socialism. But not withstanding thai
objection, it seems that the time has
about arrived when the large cities OF
the country will find it to their great
advantage to perform all those func
tons which are distinctively public ii
their character. 10 carry on for the
advantage of the whole people those
services which are in themselves q
natural monopoly. BY natural mon
opolies we mean those pursuits where
there is no competition and where
there should be no competition. Where
competition would only result in in
creased cost Of the service. Such mon.
opolies are highways, streets, bridges
gas supply, water supply, street car
service and electric lighting. All