The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-04-06
ny WALTER VI. BURNS
Special Correspondence fn the
aMatfta GsaR

Special Correspondence tu the
Seattle star
CHICAGO. April al believe IN
municipal ownership Of every quasi
public utility This includes street
railways. electric lighting plants.
telephones. Eaas water and power
plants. The municipality puts Into
such properties immense valued
and Il deserves 4 fair return
Mayor Carter III. Harriaau. % Chi.
eago. thas pat Into wosdA one prime
article Of his municipal faith. The
second mayor Of the Harrison
dynasty. ne has BEEN elected four
times The traction pruhietn has
been one Of he leading Issues Of bis
recent campaigns. He haa devoted
YeNra uf practical thought 10 trae-
tion questions and municipal own
ermhtp. Ito always has favored
municipal ownership. but he does
not think Chicago rlps jet for the
responsibility.
a hroadgnugs chief executive. lItA
nine continuous years "a mayoF
haxs given him splendid insight
into municipal problems.
The great questions involved Ia
public Ownership Is the safeguard
lng Of public and private INTEREST,"
Mayor Harrison says How to do
thia depends upon the character Of
the enterprises taken over By the
municipality. Il would be neceA-
mry 10 throw closer restrictions
about the operations Of a municipal
railway than about an electric light
Ing plant. Any municipality IL IN
position 70 own and operate n
lighting plant Many are not pre-
pared 20 own and operate street
railway. | do not believe Chicago
IL yet ready 90 own It's street. car
ayntema. though I believe Chicago
IL the best governed city in the
United States.
Chicago has operated its own
electric light plant for sir years
The plant supplies light for all bat
GOO OF the lamps used In the eity'a
streets. We use s.s00 are lamps
in Chicago thoroughfarea, We
light them At an average cost Of 50
year. The eleetrie companies
the Common wealth aud the Edison
charge gtuS for the same service.
The comparison shows that the city
ean make a good profit In It's elee-
trlc iight and NJ the same time re-
luce the price 10 the customer.
Chicago sells wafer AZ q net
profit Of si.T50. 600 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 = position 10
run It's own telephone system with
profit. | believe the time viii come
when power and heating plants will
DO operated By the city.
sspuf street railways present a
different problem In municipal own
arahip. Is It a vastly more difficult
problem because OF the great num-
Der Of men employed on street rail-
Ways and the close contact Of the
servlce with the public.
Before municipal ownership be-
comes q fact in Chicago. I would
have the legislature create a board
Il control. This board should be
appointed by the mayor and con-
flrmed By the city council It's term
II office should be long longer
he better-hnd good salaries should
be provided. These conditions would
attract good men 10 the public Eerv-
ice.
Il would have this board given
ahaolute control of the street car
system. II should employ every
man. from motormRn To official. IL
sh9uld regulate wages. fix rates.
0ufe carr. It should provide for the
conduct for the system upon civil
serviee linaa All promotions
should be b. civil service
al specified times. the profits
mould be- turned over 10 the city
treasurer. In this way the street car