The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-23
British Street RAILWAYS.

Professor Hugo R. Meyer of the
Chicago university, who has taken the
contract to regulate all the industries
Of the world and settle all the prob
lens Of the universe, has an exceedingly
interesting article in the last issue Of
the Journal Of Political Economy crit
icizing the municipal-ownership move
ment in Great Britain. Professor Meyer
finds, contrary to the general notion,
not that the cities have gone ahead
recklessly in ownership, but that, as
regards street railways and lighting
plants, they have played the dog in the
manger act, not building adequately
themselves nor permitting private capi-
tai to do it. .
The track mileage of street railways
in the United Kingdom, which Profess
sor Meyer claims should be about the
same as that of. this country, is only
about one-feurth as much. This state
ment leaves out of consideration the
fact that English cities are not spread
over as much ground as those Of the
United States; that many of them were
built before street railways Of any kind
were dreamed Of, while a great many
American cities were laid out since
horsecars were used. Professor Meyer
also makes a point of the fact that
every city of $4,000 or more inhabitants
in this country has a street railway,
whereas one has to go to cities OF oO,OOO
or. more in Great Britain to be sure or
finding in every instance street rail-
way system. 1t is true that in this
! country towns of even five or six thou
sand people have street railways, but
what do they amount tos A mile OF
track with two cars, as a rule. Iney
are not needed in the economy OF the
town and pay no profit to anyone. Ihey
are usually the product Of the Amerl
can imagination. Some man mas nopes
Of q sudden and phenomenal growth
and he is willing to take chance OF
he sees an opening for stock']opolne
I deal. He organizes street-rall"aS
usvstem' on that chance and secures
franchise which is perpetual, so ina
if the city should happen to take
start. he and his descendants Will nav
4 +be future by the throat. 1t Is raIne
u ~ Tho credit of the British parlamen
that It. has not permitted the creatlol
) of street railways with divlnlng roo
II NOR made their posterity subject TO I'LL
heck and call of private monopoly
}, Tho cause Of the short supply OF pr
o+e1v owned street railways IN Grea
) pr;ta;n is undoubtedly the tramway
: .ct Of 1870. That act permitted pr:
: 1,o+o owners to take out charters 70
: street. railways, but limited them
/, twenty-one years. life and gave Tn
$ cities the right to buy in at the END
9 tho neriod at the cost OF replacemen
p ,The effect of this legislation is to max
=. private promoters cautious They bull
: onlv where there is a reasonable chane
l of a profit from the start. Henc
+ lines reaching into the country are ne
e so common as in America. But it is
e he noted that in this country it is tn
It public which usually pays the freighh
l. for suburban street railways are gene
IS allv built with public aid, partly
Q bonuses, ard partly in bonds foated an
IT taken up among the run Of investor
d If a system fails the people and the I
ItI vestors lose. If it succeeds, the pr
l. moters win. 4.
n Great Britain thru her tramways a.
'f makes it certain that II railways occ