The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-06-27

Staff Correspondence to tge saae-
tle Star
WASHINGTON, luse sT.--TWa
cities where there might be learned
municipal ownership lessons of The
great interest and value.
One was the growing sentiment In
favor OF cities owning or controlling
public utilities. This had been man
lfestad BY the constantly increasing
number % plants established by
cities aud Villages. and. more force
fnlly. BY tho demonstrations Ia Chi
csgo and Philadelphia.
Chicago. which gave 100 900 plu-
rality for a republican president.
elected by $4,000 a democratic
mayor pledged 20 bring about city
Ownership 81 street railways The
fact that the enterprise involved
some great sum between $50 coo 000
aud si00. 900. 000 did not daunt the
voters.
when poor. old. ehloroformed.
corrupt and contentsd Philadelphia
woke up and carried through a res-
olutiun to prevent the disposal Of
the eity-owued gas plant. L was
plain enough that municipal owner
ship was a real big issue
A hint from = government official
who has much to Do with statistics
along thia line was OF even greater
Influence IN making the trip seem
worth while. This man stated that
tables pretendtnE ia compare plants
In different cities could be- u com
paratively small value because of
different conditions.
/ Men whose advice on aneh mat
tiers Is worth following said that oh
seryatien Of lighting plants gas and
electric. would give the best results.
There II practically nobody LETT TO
make the argument that the water
works should b owned hy private
companies. although a few years
ago Il was = matter OF contention.
Public baths. markets. cemeteries,
ferries and such do not constitute
an issue In many cities.
Municipal ownership o. street
railways has not arrived. Il IA Ia
lighting that the most Interesting
developments are TO be found The
men whose advice was sought said
that. among the larger cities haV-
Ing municipal ownership. the best
managed gas plants would b found
In pulufh. MINI. and Richmond.
7 Va. and The most efficient electric
I plants in Detroit. Chicago and Al
lsehsny. Hamilton. O.. aud Wheel
+ ing. w Va. e wa sdd. would
7 probably show more Of the evils %
municipal ownership than auy ushsr
large CRY.
IN these cities there were found
critics Of the management Of the
| planta No more. however. than
the number % those who we're dia-
poaei 20 "kiekr on the management
o. other city departments They
were not as numerous a. the kick
sra' on the service OF charges -
private companies.
IN several eases where the equip
ment % the plants have been run
down until Il Is almost ripe fuF the
junk man red-hot language Vas
used In denouncing the officials re-
aponaibls for tha neglect.
Then the question was asked
whether the people would not pre-
Ter that the business b turned
over TO a private company. Almost
invariably the answer vas that the
people w0uid not sell
Not more than five men q prob
ably 100 who we're interviewed ex-
pressed the opinion that the people
would be willing 20 surrender their
property into private hands
Usually the answer was 20 the ef-
feet that the voters would storm the
city ball Il an attempt were made
By the officials to give up the light
ing plants Where complaints ssHe
made theY were lodged against the
management. not against municipal
Ownership.
Az OVERWHELMING MA
l IOaTTY OF THE PEOPLE
lsEENTED To FEEL THAT THEY
H. 4