New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-22

and when the transit problems OF the two CEN
tres Of population are essentially different Inc
Glasgow tramways have always been the prop
ertv Of the town corporation: and municipal
manarement came about abruptly, but easily IN
consequence OF the perversity of the prlNaUe
companies in dealing with their working torce
and In neglecting to meet public requirements
and symmetrical development Of the system
with electric traction followed in due course. In
Chicago municipal ownership is proposed when
the conditions of finance do not seem TO warrant
il. and when comprehensive measures for deal
ing with the question blocked by liugations
IN the courts Mr.. Dalrymple is too vary
Scotsman to be drawn into financial questions or
political issues with which he is not conversanL
He will tell what has been done in his own town
and not ernbarrass his host with supernuous
counsel
What town councillors hero say is that mu-
nicipaI tramway management is primarily
matter OF finance and can be explained to the
hest advantage by an experienced member of
the council rather than the general manager OF
the local services. This is true without DOUBT
While Glasgow has led the way in an advanced
career of municipal socialism and tried E'inler-
Gus experiments in cOllectivism. there has o"eh
no reckless finance. and the cost Of every detall
Of administration has been carefully calculated
and every undertaking has been conducted WIN
prudence and conservatism. The surplus OF
f25S 102. which is reported through the Board
Of Trade as the profit of the tramway. for the
last financial year. would highly setis-
factory as the outcome of a capital outlay OF
20 1O7, $50 and the business of carrying nearly
1S9 OoOO 600 passengers at an average of frac-
ton less than penny. If private corporation
had balanced the accounts there would have
been a good margin for dividends; but Scottsh
prudence cuts down the contribution TO the re-
lief Of the rates TO EDS CO., less than one
tenth of the surplus. The of t1O9929 IS
deducted for interest and repayment charges
before a surplus is reached, and then t25S.lo2
is written off for depreciation and reserve. me
Town Council is not saddling future generations
with enormous debts. but by payments to the
sinking fund provides for the extnguishment Of
its obligations in the course of thirty-three
years. It also insists upon making the amount
expended for renewals and Improvements
charge against current receipts, maintains
large reserve fund for emergencies, and heavily
reduces every annual surplus by allowances for
depreciation and additions TO the reserve. do
not know whether Mr.. Dalrymple will concern
himself with these mysteries Of conservative
finance or attempt to forecast the ultimate
value Of the electric tramways as municipal
investment when the outstanding Indebtedness
is wiped out; but certainly he Will surprise the
count OF the conservatism of Scottish finance
The best service which Mr.. Dalrymple or any
other Scottish municipal servant visiting Amer
lea can render. is a lucid explanation of the real
secret of the efficiency and success of local
government in the United Kingdom. This IS
the sense Of public duty and obligation, which
forces active business men and representatives
Of the leisured and educated classes to devote
their time, energy and talents to the work of
local government without other reward than
the approval Of their fellow citizens and a good
! conscience. This Is the safeguard which pro-
tects the great provincial municipalities from
the consequences Of reckless finance and crude
/ experiments in coIlectivism more or less So
cialistic in form and spirit. The town councils
/ in Aberdeen and Glasgow are good government
clubs composed of public-spirited merchants
and wealthy residents. with high sense of
/ moral obligation for the responsibilities Of local
administration the university professors have
! in promoting the interests Of good letters and
higher education. Municipal socialism is safe
and innocuous when It is directed with caution
and sobriety Of judgment by these conservative
town councils. The cost Of every undertaking
and experiment is calculated as shrewdly and
sagaciously as private investments are made;
every generation is compelled to pay its own
debts: and local government IA kept out OF
politics and is left under the control Of trained
municipal services. The new Mayor Of Chicago
may not want to hear about these things; and
Mr.. Dalrynple may not be the best man 10
explain such weighty matters; but it remains
true that Americans have much to learn from
Glasgow and every other well managed Scottish
municipality. L N F.