Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-02-01
AIexssnorias0a
AN HONEST CRATER
A Glimpse Into the Future OF Mu-
nicipaI Ownership.


Around Servant Of the People, Whe
Seen His Opportunities and TOOK
EN-"
Honest graft" will reach its highest
level when. as predicted by the en-
thusiasts, the principles Of municipal
ownership are accepted by New York
and the city controls the trolley lines
the electric light and gas works and
all the ferries as well as the water
works and the police, the fire and the
street departments.
Then such patriots as George WASH
ington Plunkltt. for many years or
ganlzstion leader OF the Fifteenth dis
trict In New York, will reap rewards OF
greater magnitude than they have ever
been able to gather under the present
order OF things.
Perhaps you have never heard about
Mr.. Plunkltt's honest graft schemes
He told about them himself Id d book
published last year. which was intro
duced by a paragraph indorsing him as
q veteran leader Of the organization
signed by It's greatest chief.
Plunkitt was sore because there were
some objections to graft being made
out OF the city by men like him, and In
the first chapter OF his book he uttered
q vigorous protest. "Blackmailln' gam.
blers. saloon keepers, disorderly peo-
pie. etc." he admitted TO be wrong
That was dishonest graft"
But" lie added, there's an honest
graft, and I'm an example Of how II
works. ! seen my opportunities and
took EN-
Mr.. Plunkitt's explanation OF how he
did these things will illuminate the
possibilities OF future municipal owner
ship days. II they ever come.
After Calculating the ways he was
tipped on at various times by mem
berS Of his party the party in power
when new bridges. new parks. new
streets were TO he opened. so that he
might invest in real estate likely IL
rise In price from the Improvements
contemplated. he adds: IL haven't con
fined myself to land. Anything that
paws is In my line" Then lac gives II
specific Instance:
Learning that the city was about to
repave certain street and so would
have several hundred thousand old
paving blocks to sell. he was ION hand
TO buy" and lie knew just what they
we're worth" But a newspaper tried
10 do him" and got some outside men
from Brooklyn and New Jersey TO bid
against him. Mr.. Plunkitt's own words
tell the story hest:
WAS | done: Not much. | went
To each OF the men and said, HOW
many Of those 100000 stones do you
Want one said 10000. and another
wanted $1,000. and another wanted TO-
600. said. All right; let me bid for
the lot. and I'll give each Of you all
you want for nothin'.'
"Thcy agreed. OF course. Then the
auctlOneer yelled. How much am bid
for these fine PAWN stonesY
"'Two dollars and fifty cents says l.
"'Two dollars and fifty centsr
screamed the auctioneer oh, that's II
Joke. Give me q real bid
HE found the bid was real enough.
My rivals stood silent. got the lot for
$3.50 and gave them their share. That's
how the attempt to do Plunkitt ended,
and that's how all such attempts end"
1t is hardly necessary, in the light OF
this authentic statement OF honest
CRAFTS" workings, to enlarge upon the
extended opportunities that would
come TO the men of the Plunkitt stamp
were Tie dream of municipal owner
ship to come true. Plunkitt says most
politicians who are accused OF rObbin'
the city get rich the same way" he did.
"They didn't steal dollar from the
city. They just seen their opportunities
and took them"
While IN the legislature Plunkltt in
PRODUCED the bills that provided for the
outlying parks OF New York. the Har-
lem river speedway. the Washington
bridge. the One Hundred and Fifty
fifth street viaduct. additions 10 the
Museum of Natural History and many
other important public Improvements.
He Is now millionaire Under the
order OF things. with city con
troll Of everything. he might become a
Under municipal ownership Of all
public utilities in New York and in
most other cities In fact-politicians
like Plunkitt. who at different times
has been elected state senator. assem-
blyman. county supervisor and alder
man by his fellow citizens. besides
serving as police magistrate for one
term. and who boasts of his record In
filling f1pr public offices in one year
aud drawing salaries from three Of
them az the same ne. would flourish
like whole grove 4 green bay trees.
Go Slow on Ci.y Ownership.
Until politics ia America is purified
far beyond its prescott condition any
large experiment in - eminent own
erShip may he called a thief breeder
with much safety The more authority
there is vested in the hands OF poll
ticlan- with al due Difference TO our
national administration the more cor
ruptiOn the. will he II X a short
sighted citizen who would take more
business out OF private hands and COM
NIT it to the tender mercies Of the poll
ticians. Troy Press.