The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1903-03-05
AS to Municipal Ownership.

A largely attended convention was
held in New York last week, the object
of which was to confer and consider the
subject of municipal ownership. 1t is
subject that is growing in interest in
this country, and in the investigation
of which some of the best minds of the
nation are now earnestly engaged.
Present at the convention was the dis
tinguished Englishman, Charles r.
Bellamy, the general manager of the
Liverpool municipal tramways, who
declared that the experiment of run
ming the street railways in Liverpool
had been successful beyond the most
sanguine expectations, proving highly
advantageous to the public and the city
in all respects. He said further:
"We had inadequate service, high
fares, horse traction, aud unsanitary
cars. We purchased GS miles of tram
ways, made scrap of the entire equip
ment and installed electricity and all
modern improvements. We reduced
fares, and gave employees shorter
hours, free uniforms, and more pay.
We increased the number of passengers
from 80, 100000 in 1897 to 109, 900, 900
last year, and the receipts as from 81,
1896, 900 to 81 100000. We paid all
charges and had a reserve of 50, 431 ,000
left.
Americans would not like to concede
that Englishmen can do things of q
business nature that they can not do as
well. If municipal ownership proves 9
good thing there, why would it moi
here? Of course nothing is to be con
sidered but that of the public welfare.
If municipal ownership is a good thing
in any part Of the world, it may be il
the United States. 1t all lies with the
people: If the people will let matters
run loose, pay little or no attention tC
their own affairs, leaving them to bt
managed, after fashion, by persons
who have no fitness for their work, the1
they would not be successfully man
aged.
If chumps, mere hangers-on to clans
of time-serving politicians, henchme1
of dishonest adventures, whose chic
business is to feather their own nest,
are chosen to do business for tho pub
lie, if selfish cliques that WOO success,
through jesuitical methods, if thes,
are to have control of the business O
the public, then as matter of course
municipal ownership would prove
disastrous failure and would be uset
for the purpose Of plundering the tax
payers.
The whole question turns upon thu
capacity or the disposition of the PEG
pie to relegate the selfish bosses ant
thieving pot-house politicians to the
rear and keep them there. If the PEG
pie of this country believe themselves
powerless to prevent the domination Of
that class, then municipal ownership
should not be undertaken.
1t is fact that many persons who
are entrusted in this country with the
keys to the county, state and municipal
treasures, calculate how much it is safe
to appropriate to the use of themselves
and their henchmen-the balance they
spend for the benefit of the public,
which is quite frequently very small
part of the whole.
Municipal ownership is feasible, il
may be blessing to the public, it may
render better service at less cost; il
all depends upon whether the masses
are willing to take the trouble of turn
ing down the rogues and rascals. They
do that in England, we can in America
if we will. journal and Tribune.