Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-18
MUNICIPAL PHONES
A RANK FAILURE

Special Cablegram to The Star.
GLASGOW, September Is. - American
cities which have been studying the munich
pal ownership proposition which 1t has
been claimed have reached their highest
stage of perfection in Glasgow. will be in
terested. IL not surprised, at the latest re-
ports upon the telephone situation. The
consensus of opinions here appears to show
that the general post Office department
took over the telephone system just in
time to prevent a disastrous failure. The
accounts which relate to the telephone de-
partment show nominal balance on the
years working of $40. This paltry sum is
called surplus, but, as a matter of fact.
1t Is no surplus at all. It is only the. ball
ance Of revenue after deducting the work.
ing expenditure, and is all that can be APP
piled out of income to depreciation on a
capital investment of 81. 100000. The rentals
for the year ended May 80 amounted to
$4,000. and the amount Of progress in
public favor may be measured by the fact
that this compares with a rental Of $4,000
in the previous year. an Insignificant in
crease, after incessant canvassing. OF only
5000. But 1t has cost 10000 to gain this
increase, as the working expenditure has
been 10000. compared with $4,000 In the
corresponding period. After bringing for
ward the proportion of rentals in 19O4-5 ap-
plicable to 1865. and deducting the rentals
received in 1865 applicable to 1867, and
after adding sundry receipts amounting to
N3, 500, the sum of revenue appears to be
$2S5OOO. as compared with $276, 900. The
working expenditure has been $1S3, 800,
which, being deducted. leaves the net rev.
enue about the same as last year. The in
terest to loans funds and the sinking fund
have, however, to be paid TOUT of this, and
the sum required this year Is 100000, as
compared with so, 600 at last balance. Thus.
while 1904-5 accounts showed balance
called a surplus of $500. which was car
ried to general depreciation fund, the pres
emit accounts show a nominal surplus of
only $40. which ,is also generously trans
ferred to depreciation account.
In any event, 1t is interesting to note that
the municipal telephone system Is about to
end. The stores, tools and movable prop
erty are to be taken over by the post office
at valuation, but whether the valuation
will come up to the book entries remains to
be seen. The telephone committee says that
the loss to be sustained by the sale to the
post Office is estimated at $4,000, but that
this loss. although a matter of regret, Is
insignificant In comparison with the pen
efits reaped by the telephone users in GlaS-
cow, and Indirectly by the community at
large, from the cheaper and better service
they have enjoyed as the result of the es-
tablishment Of the corporation telephone
service"
The Glasgow Herald has the following to
say editorially upon American politics:
Though the next presidential election in
the United States is still more than two
years off. the public, Or at any rate. the
newspapers, are already beginning to busy
themselves with speculations on the SUBJ
ject. 1t Is true that no part In these specu-
lations has hitherto been taken by the reg
ular party managers-the men who will ul-
timately exercise the controlling power in
the choice of candidates. Their silence.
however. is probably due less to any feeling
that action Is yet premature than to, abSo-
Lutte uncertainty as to the direction in
which, in the party interests, that action
should be taken. This Is assuredly the case
50 far as the republicans are concerned.
Among the democrats Mr.. w. j. Bryan Is
the only man whose name has yet been
mentioned as that of a possible candidate:
in respect of personal popularity. and of
command Of that particular type of plat
form eloquence which is indispensable. to a
presidential candidate. there is no other
member Of his party who can seriously. be
put in competition with him. -
THE position of the republicans isralte-
gether different. In President Roosevelt,
indeed, they have man whose popularity
and personal magnetism are far greater
than Mr.. Bryan's; and If he would consent
to accept nomination there is no doubt at
all that his name would be Endorsed with
enthusiasm by the rank and Tile OF. the
party, as well as by great numbers of Amer
lean citizens who ordinarily take no active
interest OF part III pOItfCS. bul There arr
two serious difficulties in the way of; his
candidature. In the first place. Mr.. Roose-
welt, at the time he accepted nomination in
1904, voluntarily gave a specific pledge that
he would not again offer himself for cleo
ton. Further, the great capitalists and
heads Of the trusts. who really dominate
the republican party organization, inside
and outside Congress. do not love Mr..
Roosevelt. He is too strong an individual
ity for them. 1t is true that they haye
hitherto contrived to thwart or alternate
most of the legislative measures he has
promoted with the view Of making public
control over their combinations and cor
porations effective. But they have never
been able to make a tool Of him; and his
tireless persistence in his own line Of policy
keeps them in constant alarm and exaspe-
ration. These people may not openly avow
their sentiments, but they certainly do not
want another term of Mr.. Roosevelt They
are gravely apprehensive that IL he came
back to office, as he most likely would. on
the top of great wave of popular feeling.
he would be altogether too strong for them.
They will do all they can, in underhand
ways to prevent his nomination from being
discussed, and, in view Of his own explicit
declaration Of two years ago. they may be
successful"