The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-02
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP.
Novelty of the Experiment. That May
Be Tried in Chicago.


Governor Yates of Illinois having
signed the law which permits cities tc
apply the principle of municipal owner
ship TO the street railways within their
limits. it is expected that a movement
will at once begin in Chicago to test
the local sentiment in regard to this eX-
pertinent There is strong demand
there for the municipalization of tbs
traction lines. but whether it is sudi~
Gent to give a three-fiftES vote in favor.
as required by the statute. remains 10
be disclosed
There is at present no example of city
owned street railways in the United
States. The nearest approach on this
continent is in Toronto, where the car
lines are owned by the city and leased
to an operating company under regu-
laJlOnS as to fares. etc. In England ana
Scotland the drift toward public owner
ship has been decided for some years.
In Liverpool the experiment, inaugural
ed in 1888. is regarded as complete
success. the railways in 1901 earning Tor
the city a surplus of $SS.035 above ell
expenses and sinking fund require
ments. The service was good and the
fares low. the object of the city being
to give the best possible return for the
smallest possible fare. while maintain
ing the roads on a high economic plane
Of fitness.
The English cities have been goins
beyond the street car lines in their alb
Sol ktitA VI the pQJlC utilIticSs anu INV
own gas and electric light works, power
plants waterworks and even in some
cases the pleasure resorts used by the
city. 1t has recently been stated tha-
the consequences of this great enter
prise has been an increase of the mu-
nicipal debt TO the enormous total OF
81, $50, coo, 600. or about $50 per capita, 3
fOur-fold increase since 1875. Many Of
the projects are not paying. some are
being operated at loss and others are
earning small dividends for the publi.-
treasures There is no source of sta
tiStics immed lately at hand however.
to separate the street railway from ths.
other municipal enterprises, but such
statistics are available and will doubt
less be secured by the people of Chi
cage. in case the question of municipal
ling the local lines IS submitted to g
vote.
Chics go does not offer the most prom
ising field in the United States for the
trying of this experiment It is a very
large city. and its political morals arr
not above suspicion. Indeed. the whole
record of the distribution of these very
street railway franchises is snairchei
with scandal. affecting both the state
legislature and the municipal councils
The prime essential of an honest eff
Gent administration of a municipall.
owned enterprise of this kind is a civil
service based strictly upon the merit
principle. and shielding the people FROM
the bad management and the offerings
of 4 crew of political inconDetents ap-
pointed to the responsible places under
the influence and shelter of the don.i
nant Dartv. If the railways are tazeE
over by the city merely to become ais
adjunct to a political machine the ex
pertinent is destined to almost certain
failure and the city will get the worst
of the BARGAIN not only in bad service.
but il growing debts. If, on the other
hand. they are taken in trust by the
public officials and operated with seru-
pulous care for the public welfare there
is q chance for success Washington
Star Gnd.1