Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-03-26
MUNICIPAL
OWNERSHIP
MAYOR HARRISON, OF CHICAGO
ON THE SUBJECT.
With Comments by William J. Bryan. Fran
chise Holder is King. Public Ownership
Would be Disastrous to Spectators, but
Beneficial to Legitimate Business.


Would be Disastrous to Spectators, but
Beneficial to Legitimate Business.
Municipal ownership Of public utilities
is rapidly growing in favor. bill has
been introduced in the New York legs-
iature providing that at the next general
election voters shall have the opportu.
nifty to pass upon the question as to
public ownership Of all municipal trans
portaton lines and public ownership OF
municipal gas and electric light plants.
While it is not generally believed that
this bill will pass at the present session
its Introduction shows that consider
able sentiment along this line exists in
New York and it may be depended upon
that sooner o. later those who are OPP
posed to the municipal ownership pro-
position will be required to defend their
position before the people.
Carter H. Harrison, mayor OF Chicago,
has written for the Record Herald
vigorous and instructive article on the
subject of municipal ownership. Mr..
Harrison contends that municipal owner
ship of public utilities contains the on'y
real solution Of adequate service to the
people He points out that many OF the
cities OF the old world have adopted this
plan and it has proved satisfactory. Mr..
Harrison says that while few years ago
this proposition WIS pronounced imprac-
ticable, its correctness from the practical,
as well as the theoretical, standpoint,
cannot now be seriously disputed. = He.
maintains that in this day municipal
ownership is opposed only by those who
are prejudiced by ownership of stocks,
bonds and other securities, ant to all
others than these municipal ownership
presents the only common sense method
OF handling / vexatious problem.
Referring to the fact that after all other
effor,s to distract attention from this
plan haye failed its opponents have re-
sorted to the cry of "anarchy,' Mr..
Harrison says: "Whenever through
some attempt to give fair treatment to
the plain CITIZEN, the wallet OF the fnan-
cier is touched, he haunts the red flag in
in an end avor to frighten the innocent
minded"
Mr.. Harrison we'll describes the situa-
ton when he saws:
"The franchise holder has gone on
enjoying the untrammeed use of the
property OF the public so long that he
seems to have begun to look upon his
title as the king or emperor looks upon
his right to rule. For generations the
guileless public has made small hand.
full OF its fellows the benefciares OF these
franchises, either altogether without re.
ciprocal obligation or with obligations
quite incommensurate with tho advan
tages they have enjoyed. Public privi-
leges have been used SO long fer private
gain that apparently to the franchise
holders way Of thinking the title sprang
originally from some species Of divine
origin. The magnates OF the street rail
ways, gas plants, telephone plants and
other public service utilities seem to
claim their franchises through kindred
grace of God. In short, these grants have
become the patents OF nobility OF our
moneyed aristoc'acy.
"For many years the whole public has
accepted these conditions without a
murmur. The explanations can only be,
il seems to me that these franchises are
held by the first citizens Of the commu.
nifty. Their general reputation for up.
rghtness and fair dealing has served as
cloak behind which the schemer and
promoter have worked secretly and in
perfect security. The slightest public
clamor has been stilled by the cry that
to deny the jus ice OF the claims amount.
ed to melting to riot; to deny it in fact
that has been referred to at waving the
flag OF anarchy"
MIR. Harrison says that there is little if
any excuse to even consider the claim
that the theory under discussion is
species Of anarchy, but he points out
that the experience OF Glasgow shows
VIZ ououiuiIy VI suCh COhteH'ioH' III
Glasgow public ownership has advanced
to the stage where the city owns not
only the waterworks, but the street cars,
gas plant, and the telephone system and
all these are operated to the entire salts.
faction OF the user as we'll as to the profit
OF the municipality. The rates charged
are low, the profits to the public are so
great that taxes have reached low water
mark.
Replying to the claim that municipal
ownership would result in the creation
of gigantic political machines formed OF
the army Of city employees, Mr.. Harrison
says that this argu. lent vanishes before