The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-28

of public sentiment here against
the interference by municipal en-
ployes in legislation affecting the man
agemcnt OF Glasgow's reproductive under
takings
One result of municipal socialism Is the
organizing of a great army of city en-
pioyes to do politics. II enters into
every municipal campaign. The employees
as an organization work only for those
candidates who pledge themselves to'sup-
port bills having for their object shorter
hours, rises in pay and an increase in
the number of city employees.
The officers of the organization are SEEK
ing persistently for other enterprises in
which the city may embark. Icy care
little whether the undertakings are sue
cesses or failures SO long as they place
more voters on the city's pay roll: the
greater the force OF municipal employees
the greater Its power for making that
force even larger.
Common sense teaches that such pol
icy can lead only to financial disaster,
but this army Is not building for the
future of Glasgow Not one city employee
in thousand owns Glasgow real es-
tate, and when the crash comes they
will simply move on to some city that
has not been SO cursed by municipal So
cialism as poor old Glasgow
Two years ago then Lord Provost Sir
Francis Ure-Prlmrose denounced at a
public dinner here the activity of mu-
nicpal employees in ward politics. He
exposed the System" and advocated the
Acknowledgement Of all city employees.
This speech cost him his seat In the
council, but It set the people Of Glasgow
to thinking.
affairs In Glasgow advocating the dis
Reimbursement of every man on the
city pay roll. They agree that it is
the only way to preserve the public's
credit.
III Glasgow is to continue to operate
Its gas and electric plants and Its tram
ways we must, for our own protection,
disfranchise every man employed by
those departments. If permitted to vote
they will form themselves into political
ring that Is worse than your Tammany."
This remarkable assertion was made to
me this week by Arthur Kay, president
of Arthur & Co., the largest commercial
house in Glasgow.
OF tweeds, plaids and other Scotch fab
RIGS. 1t Is the second heaviest rate
payer in the city, excepting the railroad
companies. If municipal ownership
tended to reduce taxes and to cheaper
the cost of power this company would
be ono Of the chief beneflciaries. But 1
found Mr.. Arthur as have found almost
every other business man here, radically
opposed to wholesale municipal trading.
RATE-PAYERS ALARMED.
Mr.. Kay Is president of the Ratepayers'
Federation. an organization OF citizens
forced into politics for the protection OF
business and property. Members of this
organization and Of the Citizens Union
lol ro thnj1S
and pounds yearly opposing In Parlia-
ment wildcat speculations of the NUM-
cipal Socialists. Fortunately for it's
business interests Glasgow is required
by the Scotch law to secure from Par
lament authorization to embark in new
trading enterprises.
These organizations employ solicitors
to present the ratepayers' slide of the
municipal socialism question before the
parliamentary committees. AS tax
payers they also have to contribute to-
ward the ridicuously high salaries that
the city pays to solicitors who present to
Parliament the case OF the progressive
administration.
Mr. kay prefaced his interview by say
ing: Broadly speaking, am opposed to
municipal trading. believe that a city
should own its water; but municipal trad
ing becomes opposed to justice as soon
as 1t burdens, or takes power to burden,
one class of citizens In order to benefit
another. no matter how poor or how rich
either class may be.
I asked Mr.. Kay whether he considers
that the corporation OF Glasgow exercises
the same economy In operating the tram
ways that would be exercised by private
provided the private company
should pay the same wages and give
equal service.
Certainly, I do not" was the prompt
answer there are extravagances IN the
number of men employed and IN the pur-
chase OF material which any private COM
pany could and would avoid In TINS
alone a private company could effect q.
saving of at least 100000 year. II
might save four or five times that
amount.
.In saying this do not mean to -critt.
cize the present administration, LORD
Provost Bilsand Is one OF our hlghest
type of citizens. He Is honest ana et'l-
cient, and Is doing the best he can for
the city. 1 refer to the system under
which he is compelled to work
Il suppose you people In America I'M
aGine that because We own our e!ecttlc