The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-04-01
Special Correspondence of the News
PAPER Enterprise Association.

PAPER enterprise ASSOCIATION.
CHICAGO. April 1t believe
in municipal ownership of every
quasi-public utility This includes
street railways. electric lighting
plants. telephones. gas. water and
power plants. The municipality puts
into such properties immense values
and it deserves a fair return"
Mayor Carter IL. Harrison of Chi
cago thus put into words one prime
article of his municipal faith. The
second mayor of the Harrison dynas-
ty, he has been elected four times.
The traction problem has been one
of the leading issues of his recent
campaigns. He has devoted years of
practical thought to traction ques-
tions and municipal ownership. He
always has favored municipal owner
ship, but he does not think Chicago
ripe yet for the responsibility.
Mayor Harrison is recognized as
broad-gauge chief executive. His
nine continuous years as mayor have
given him splendid insight into mu-
nicipal problems.
The great question involved in
public ownership is the safeguarding
of public and private interests"
Mayor Harrison says: How to do
this depends upon the character Of
the enterprise taken over by the mu-
nicipality. 1t would be necessary to
throw closer restrictions about the
operations of municipal railway
than about an electric lighting plant.
Many are not prepared to own and
operate a street railway. l do not
believe Chicago is yet ready to own
it's street car systems. though l be-
lieve Chicago is the best governed
city in the United States.
Chicago has operated it's own cleo
trio light plant for six years. The
plant supplies light for all but 600
of the lamps used in the city's
streets. We use $500 arc lamps In
Chicago thoroughfares, We light
them at an average cost of $54 year.
The electric comprehensive Com
monwealth and the Edison-charge
$l03 for the same service. The COM
parison shows that the city can make
good profit in it's electric light and
at the same time reduce the price to
the consumer.
Chicago sells water at n net profit
of s1.750,000 a year after all expense
of laying water pipes in every section
of the city where the citizens demand
them has been paid. The city Is in a
col NhA,
system with profit. l believe the time
will come when power and heating
plants will be operated by the city.
but street railways present diff
forent problem in municipal owner
ship 1t is vastly more difficult
Der of men employed on street rail-
ways and the close contact of the
service with the public.
Before municipal ownership be-
comes a fact in Chicago, l would
have the legislature create n board
of control. This board should be
appointed by the mayor and confirm
ed by the city council. Its term of
office should be long---the longer the
better--and good salaries should be
provided. These conditions would at
tract good men to the public service,
II would have this board given alb
solute control of the street car sys-
tenn. II should employ every man,
from motorman to Official. 1t should
regulate wages, fix rates. route cars.
II should provide for the conduct of
the system upon civil service lines,
All promotions should be by civil
service.
at specified times the profits
should be turned over to the city
treasurer. In this way the street car
system of the city would be taken out
of the influence of politics, the ma
chine boss and the Job hunter. 1t
would become a clean business enter
prise. administered honestly for the
benent of the private citizen and the
profit of the municipality"
Mayor Harrison Is in favor OF sub
ways as an up-to-date method OF city
transportation.
II am in favor of subway built
T. hn al T.