The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-08
CHICAGO WISDOM IS
SHOT into GOTHAM
Mayor-EIect Dunno Expounds
Municipal Ownership
Doctrine

NEW YORK, April Mayor elect
Edward F. Dunno of Chicago tonight
addressed a large meeting in Cooper
union under the auspices of the Mu-
nicipal Ownership league of this city.
He told how he expected to carry out
his pledges made in his recent cam
paign in Chicago to attain municipal
ownership, of the benefits, as he con-
ceived them. of city control of public
utilities, and closed with congratula-
lions to the local league on being pio-
neers in the movement in New York.
His speech was enthusiastically re-
ceived. James Graham Phelps Stokes,
vice president Of the league, presided
and introduced Chicago's mayor elect.
Judge Dunno said in part:
Men of the East: We bring you tidines
or great joy from the men of the west
The exploitation of men of public prop
erty by private capital, with its attend
ant greed eXtortion and corruption has
had Its day in American cities, but that
day Is about to end. Next Monday Chi
cago starts up on her mission OF disodg-
ing private capital. from the control of our
street car system. She has succeeded in
tne operaton OF her fsJ oH0 water ter works system
ment has loaned $4,000. 900 from that de-
partment to the sewer system is today
giving the cheapest water of probably any
CITY In America, and has a cash surplus
of nearly $1,000 600. She has so managed
her electric light plant that she has re-
duced the cost of arc lamps from $125 to
about $54 for arc lamp per annum
She is operating both departments as
well as police and educational depart
ments. without scandal. graft or corrup-
tion, besides cheapening the cost of utiI-
tiles furnished to the public She will
have the same record of success in Tela-
ton to her street car system. You men
and, it may be. in culture, but Chicago,
in our judgment Is the nerve center of
America and the leader In economic
thought and action. Chicago is the only
overwhelming majority in favor of the
municipalization of her street car system,
and what Chicago wills she does
The citizens of Chicago have been edu-
Gated up TO the fact that a municipality
can operate any of the public utilities
with much greater satisfaction to the peo-
pie than can the same utilities be oper-
ated by private capitalists.
Objections Answered
The only two serious objections raised
during the recent struggle in Chicago
against public ownership Of the public
utilities are:
Z First. that 1t would tend to build up
a great political machine. None of the
friends of municipal ownership in Chicago
or elsewhere advocate the ownership and
operation OF any utility by municipalities
a civil service law under which all APP
plicants for positions. irrespective OF pol
itics. will be treated exactly alike, and
under which just and reasonable tests viii
be applied to public servants to aseer-
tain their fitness to perform the work en-
tailed upon them. We have such a law
in Chicago, under which for several years
past it has been practically impossible for
any man TO place friend upon the po-
lice. fire or water department.
The only other serious objection urged
In fnor fhf nm N
no money. There is no force whatever in
the objection. The operation OF these
utilities. either by public or private per-
sons is a valuable privilege. We pro-
pose TO raise all the money necessary
TO purchase an up to date street car sys-
tenn upon certificates which are special or
limited promises to pay out of the income
collected from the system. Under the law
of Illinois these certificates are termed
street car certificates