The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-09
Special to The Journal.
" ~ITw ATIKEFk JNis 5Spnt 8

n N MILWAUKEE,, Wis, Sept. s.
~ A wholesale project to con
- y =: denim all local public util
tiles and to establish several in
dustries here that are to be operated
by the municipality, has. been launched
by the social democratic party Of Mil
Waukee and is pending before the com
state legislature when that body meets
in the winter. The plan is the most
sweeping Of any move toward municipal
ownership that, has ever been attempted
3ins this country, and it's outcome will
undoubtedly be watched with great. in
:terest turnout the United States. Here
is i, what the socialists propose to do:
vt 30 condemn tie street raj way system
andShaye, the city assume control.
6 To condemn the electric lighting plant
and operate It by and for the, city.
!. To condemn the gas works and oper-
ate 1T by and for the city. T.: -. - =
;. To condemn ythe telephone company s
property and operate it by the city.
To establish and operate a municipal
ice plant, ~ lRsTzzs. :. -.
To establish and operate a municipal
slaughter, house. x iS.
To establish and operate a municipal
coal yard.2.ss $a5. - * <. 80. =
y To establish and operate a. municipal
dredge. =. - II r -
+ 10 establish and operate a municipal
plumbing establishment. = - ,.-s<.s -
~ On to Madison. s5.s
But this is not all that it is proposed
to do. Those back. of the movement
are going to*Madison,s where, the, state
things, demand laws which will bring
about these reforms:
One cent railroad fares thruout the
state on Memorial day, state fair days,
Labor day, Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Giving common councils the right to
regulate telephone and street railway
rates.
Giving common councils power to fix the
price of gas and electric lighting. '
Giving cities power to collect from pub
lie service corporations the cost OF max
ing street improvements.
|, Giving cities power to employ. profess
sional lobbyists at the. legislature to look
after the city's legislation - liz
Providing that public service corpora
lions pay, 8 per cent on their gross earn
ings instead Of 4 per cent, as under the
present law. 49,
Giving the city the right to condemn
property and maintain terminals for rail
road purposes. - $3.50
Legisla tion, to. pension wage Farmers
over 60 years OF age. - ="
TO provide free text books in the
schools. .,..- =. 49,. ~.,...-.
TO establish state fire and accident in
surance companies. -. !. ..':. J..
"''7'.'. Cannot: Be Ignored. :>s@
Z Radical as many of these measures
are, the socialists have gone into the
project with all the. earnestness they
possess, and say they will continue tbs
fight for them if they are defeated
when in due time they come up fol
legislature. Out of fortysix members
in the. council, = the socialists have
twelve members. and hold the balance
ST power, while in the legislature they
have FIVE members, more than is rep
resented in any other state in e'union
OF about, $4,000 votes that are cast at
elections in Milwaukee. the socialists
have from $4,000 to $4,000, so that the
movement they have launched is one
that by no means can be ignored. They
campaign from one end of the year to