The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-09-10
MACADAM MIXING PLANT.


Supply company, and will purchase the
mixing plant that was used here in
the pavement Of East Superior street.
Whether or not the city can secure pos
session. Of the plant, now that Con-
tractor Mcdonnell claims the owner
ship, is a legal question that will be
determined later
The satisfactory appearance Of East
Superior street has made tar macadam
the popular pavement for this city. 1t
may be predicted with safety that this
kind of pavement will be used most
extensively here In the future A mix
ing plant Is a very necessary factor in
macadam paving. A mixing plant
means cheaper paving. Alderman
Moore holds that with proper opera
ton the cost Of tar nnacadam can be
reduced to $1.25, or less than one half
the price that Warren Bros are
charging for like pavement in the
city of Superior. This price is as low
as the telford macadam pavement,
which Is used on First street and Lon
don road. OF course Mr.. Moore's fig
ure depends upon the municipal ow-
nersh!p of the mixing plant Should
e. private contractor own the plant con-
ditions would be different. He would
very naturally try to get the best price
possible for paving,
1t Is economic law that the man
who owns the tools of production owns
the man. In other days the shoe max
er was an important tradesman. He
owned his own crude tools for max
Ing shoes, and If he did not like work.
Ing for master, he could start little
shop of his own, and would immediate-
~ become a competitor Of his former
employer. The introduction Of improv-
ed machinery in the boot and shoe
making industry has changed this plan,
The machines which now make the
shoes are too expensive for the shoe
maker to own. With his old crude
tools he can not even become a COM
petitor Of a shoe factory equipped with
modern machinery. The result Is that
he is dependent entirely upon the. man
who owns the machine for Iiveli-
hood. Since he cannot own the tools
OF production, the old shoemaker, If
he is alive to his own interests is adj
vocating the common ownership Of the
tools, so that he may secure the bene-
fit resulting from improved labor saw
ing machinery.
That is just the position of the neo-
pie with tar macadam mixing plant.
The man who has the capital to buy a,
machine that will mix macadam chean-
er than it can be mixed by hand is the
man who will get the contracts for
street paving, and if one man has the
exclusive right to the machine in anv
particular vicinity that man will have
a monopoly on the work. Don't YOU
see the point? He will do the work
but a trifle cheaper than it can be per-
formed by hand, and so the people
cannot get the full benefit of cheap
paVements which should result from
the introduction Of improved machin-
cry. The people then have the same
grievance as the shoemaker, and the
only relief Is in the common ownership
OF the machine. This is the principle
Ut public ownership. This is why we
support the purchase of a tar macad-
am mixing plant by the city. Mr.. Nc
Donnell, the contractor, is a public
spirited citizen. Every dollar he makes
he is spending at home, and he is
helping to build this city. We have the
highest regards for the gentleman, and
count him as mighty good friend of
the Labor World. But ones public
duty must have precedence over his
personal friendship. The city of Du-
luth must own its mixing plant in
order that the people may secure cheap
pavement. This Is the all important
question of the hour in municipal poll
tics, and it should receive the atten-
ton Of all wide awake and earnest
citizens.