The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1907-03-22

OFTHECITIES
Extracts from the United States
Bureau of Labor.
COLD FACTS ARE GIVEN
The Increasing Wealth and Power of The
Cities the Means OF Attracting
Strong Men 10 Govern

The extracts herewith given from the
Bulletin of the United States Bureau
of Labor, No. 3d.. January 1906, are
invaluable in the solving Of the NUM-
cipal ownership problem, and will prove
Of interest to readers having grain
of public spirit to keep time with the
march of human progress. Just as
the criticism of municipal ownership
has been expressed by summarizing the
arguments of its opponents, so these
criticisms may but be examined by
giving in reply briefly the statements
of its advocates in Great Britain.
1.-THE extension of municipal owner
ship activities is graphically indicated
by the increase of local Indebtedness.
This increase in recent years has been
tremendous, whether or not it warrants
the concern which has been manifested
by the critics. Statistics are
here given.
THUS the figures show that of the
local indebtedness so created, at least
two thirds was for other purposes.
Aside from the obligations created by
Parliament and imposed upon the local
authorities, the demands of education,
of sewage disposal, Of housing and slum
clearance, of baths, of parks, libraries,
and STRENGTHENING, all due to tho
growing concern of the city for the
comfort, convenience, and health of the
people, etc., greatly increased the local
Indebtedness. -
1t appears that on engaging in NUM-
cipal ownership the public spirit be-
came SO awakened that many other re-
fol ms were simultaneously undertaken
with more than treble the expense of
the mere taking over of the plants.
The devotees of private or corporate
interests seized upon this fact to at
tribute the whole burden of debt to
public ownership.
"Snce 1898 local borrowing has con-
tinued unabate d". Statistics fol-
low. "As to such Indebtedness the
statistics are fairly complete. They are
obtainable from the board of trade re-
turns and other authorities. Up. H.
''The reproductive undertakings are
rarely burden on the tax rate. While
it is not uncommon for local taxes to
be levied for water purposes, as well
as for street lighting, it is also true
that many other cites make no charge
for water or gas used in public way"
Statistics are here cited showing the
large profits on waterworks, gasworks,
electricity supply and street
cars page IL, A.
What follows page l4) is very i'm
portant, as me ,ting the cheap reports
of many failures" so frequently in
dulged in Of late:--''In passing on the
question of profits or deficits it is neces-
sary to bear in mind that the muni-
cipalty is requested by Parliament not
only to meet the ordinary working costs
and interest on the Indebtedness of an
enterprise, but also to set aside each
year fund which at the end of a GER.
tain period will repay the entire debt,
This is an added charge on the enter
prise and must be met from the begin,
ming. The usual period is 30 years.
The total dividend to be earned there
fore amounts To about per cent. So
that when it is stated that loss is
made 1t means failure to meet all Of
these obligations. In addition to this,
reproductive undertakings owned by the
the city pay taxes the same as though
ownedby a private company. lthas been
the policy of Parliament So that the
operating expense account includes an
expenditure for local as well as national
taxation. Thus GLASGOW tramways paid
in 1905 local taxes 1888, 1873 and $26, AIS
as income tax to the imperial eX-
chequer.
In the large town the street railways
gas, water, electric lighting, and mar
kets rarely, if ever, show deficit. (page
l5.) Yet even in the case of the small
towns, Notwithstanding these heavy
burdens, the instances of annual loss
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