The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-13
Mr.. DALRYMPLB AND CHICAGO.
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP HERE
AND IN BRITAIN.

sionsry fra Decentralization In u. n.
Brand Of Human Nature an Essential
Preliminary to Extension Of Municipal
Ownership Hero--Not Exped'cnt. He
SAYS, in Interest OF Our WOrkmen.
LONDON, July sl,-The general manager
OF the Glasgow corporation tramways left
Great Britain amid general amazement
that any one in the United States could
conceive him capable Of instructing the
Americans in street railway management
and municipal administration. He has
returned from his mission to Chicago amid
equally general indifference. The one
thing that tiokled the public was his going
out. What happened to him or what he
thinks OF It all does not seem to be re-
earded as OF any Importance. A long
interview with Mr.. Dalrymple has been
published, but there Is little in 1t Of the
slightest interest to people on this side
of the Atlantic, although 1t may be OF in
terest to his American friends. To sum It
I'D Mr.. Dalrymple comes back az no went,
q Glaswegian municipal trader, with mono
of his old opinions changed apparently.
and with no acknowledgment whatever
of having learned anything from his visit.
You search this interview in vain for any
feature OF American municipal control
or street railway management which really
evokes Mr.. Dalrymple's appreciation. On
the other hand, the most significant part
Of the interview consists of his frequent
reminders that the conditions are very
different In the two countries, and that he
Is not prepared, as matters stand, to make
any bold Recommendation Of municipal
ownership.
Some Of Mr.. Dalrymples remarks are
rather cryptic. For example: 4 believe
the City Council Is q very able and intelli-
gent body, but II they went in for munich
palizing such huge undertaking as this
there is no doubt they would require to
eliminate the political element Again,
If a manager is appointed, she niue: have
a fixed tenure and for fairly long period.
1t would not do to leave him to the chances
Of changing administration. or course,
should let him re under the direction OF
the City Cornell, but when 1t came to man
agement he must be entirely Free" Here
Mr. Dalrymple recalls the everlasting
dilemma Of the trading municipalities In
England. Either they must let their off,
Gals run them or they mus; run their
officials, and / 4 either case they are liable
to trouble. Numerous municipalities seem
to find 1t difficult to adjust their relations
with officials. Manchester municipality,
for instance. is becoming standing joke
In its quarrels with successive CHIEF cleo
trical engineers.
eliminate their present method Of political
influence, do not see why they should not
quickly make q considerable advance and
Improvement in municipal matters. But
the system by which every municipal ofd-
cial becomes little center In himself OF
expediency. That is to say, it is the old
idea Of the spoils to the victor. II man
works to get a councillor in, he expects to
be paid for it. How can you expect salts
factory municipalization under such con-
ditions as those?" From this we may
fairly conclude that Mr.. Dalrymple con-
elders it an essential preliminary to any
extension of municipal ownership in Amer
lea that there shall be complete revolu-
ton in human pature as this quality Is ex-
hibited IN the United stat e,;, .,,. . ~.
average intelligent American citizen that
human nature Is after all pretty much
the same all the world over. He need not
by any means lay in stock OF sackcloth
and ashes and mourn over the wickedness
fact. Mr.. Dalrymple's sermon is nothing
more than q rehash Of some Of the argu-
ments most persistently urged by the anti
municipal trading party In England. It Is
amusing, but perhaps not surprising that
Mr. DaIrympe shopid see the point bn 9f them
veniently ignore them when he IL at home.
It is an undoubted fact that self-interest
Is the guiding principle in inducing men
to seek election on public bodies IN Great
Britain, partly for the mere love OF power
tunitles Afforded for direct or indirect en-
richment. These general statements Of Mr..
Dalrymple might have boomerang effect II
some Of the United States engineers who
have crossed the Atlantic on business could
speak what they know.
There ara now enough American sngi-
neers and business men employed In under
takings domiciled in England to form an
imposing industrial regiment, and as many
Of them are engaged In work which gives
them special opportunities OF obser wing
trading their impartial opinion as to the
general expediency Of public ownership
should be very valuable. Unfortunately
there is something like reign OF terror
existing which makes 1t most imprudent
for any director or official OF contracting
and manufacturing companies intimately
or remotely concerned with local govern
ment affairs to breathe syllable in dis
approval Of the most glazing instances OF
municipal muddling, even when they IN
Jurlously aneCt the interests OF nlS own
business. The Association OF Municipal
Corporations is so powerful, its tentacles
80 far reaching and the self-defensive in
stinots of the Aldermen and Councillors so
sensitive that any manufacturer or con-
tractor who dared to question their infalli-
bility and speak his mind, however apollo
getically, as to the evil results and tenden-
cies Of their costly experiments in socialism
would never get another order from any
local authority In the country and would
he actively interfered with In his relations
with other customers. II any official OF
such company released his self-res:Saint
and expressed his genuine opinion CT the
laundering tyranny Of the system he would
have to be thrown overheard by his en-
ployers.
Consequently it is not possible for. Ameri-
can engineers and others working IN Eng
land and doing business with municipali-
ties to come out in the open and frankly
state their experiences. Several Of the
largest electrical manufacturing companies
have reason to be bitterly disappoi nted
with the results Of their enterprise, their
latest balance sheets showing no more than
a bare surplus OF income over expenditure;
and it is we'll recognized In the electrical
business that such poor results are simply
due to the paralyzing influence OF mu-
ncipal mono poles. The fact that most
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