New-York tribune., 1907-03-11
ARGUE CITY OWNERSHIP
LETTLETON Us. NELSON.
Williams Professor Says 1t Has
Failed Wherever Tried.

should, who Henry Loonis Nelson. who is
filing the chair OF political economy n Williams
College. contended that municipal ownership had
heen g failure wherever t.ied in this country
abroad. Coione! Rcbert T. Emmet Of New Ro-
clelle. presided.
Mr. Nelson asserted in his argument that the
world had prosrered and grown what it was by
individual effort, and that the incentive TO
thoughtful men the profit that they might reap
as the fruit OF their genius industry. The
thought THAI every one must put to himself he
ssid, was whether we prepared Yet TO
drive out the individual from business by taking
away his incentive" He continued:
Are you going ia take the management from
1s, MN aio and are you gong 10 oegrudge nm taP
ssinnait'inty? Are you going to so very far y you
80 - 80 rii' anelase Hlah. IN soGr Il.t"au l
transportation by water. your telephone service
end all other such important public necessities
fhe average man going take those enormous
chances which the exceptional man has ever taken
n this country" II is the exceptional man who
mas built up large communities long before they
ceptionsi man who makes homes sor The worrying
man better than they could otherwise have had
ne said free rides The ma siority i Of The voters
OF all large cities are non-taxpayers and # the
municipal ownership idea Is adopted they will al
Elve them free rides, free lights free telephones
- j SlSn = coIalon MI p tf uilllnafe t, oatS1hs o
operated by the municipalities fail TO make their
deficit viii always have 10 come from the pockets
% the taxpayers.
Mr.. Nelson then proceeded 10 point failure
og municipal ownership IN England. He admitted
thar the fares the municipality operated tramways
of Birmingham and Glasgow were lower than those
charged IN this country but he said the people
fhere could not ride SO far now ride on the
privately controlled lines Of New York and other
Sarge American cities. a ride OF twenty miles. he
said, IN Birmingham, would cost about % cents.
London a week ago. he said. defeated its progress
sive party, which had entered upon all tha mu-
nicipsl ownership enterprises established in that
-,f-rrR.
serted. had turned cat badly in London in many
ways
London, he said recently entered upon the expert
nlent OF municipal steamboats, on the Thames with
loss Of Sos. coo in nine months. Mr.. Dayrmple
he continued. who managed the municipal tram
ways Of Glasgow, was sent for by Mayor Dunno
OF Chicago 20 examine the official conditions ot that
city and report upon the adyisability OF the mu-
nicpal ownership of the street railway system.
ar. Dalrymple took look at the railroad and then
he took look at the city government, and with
out saying anything about the latter. he said the
city was not as yet ready 10 embark on municipal
ownership.
Mr. Nelson also dwelt upon the old argument
that municipal ownership would prove a failure be-
cause Of the bosses and machines which It would
build up and fortify. He said il question
whether the bosses could manage these public
utilities and give the people better service than
private persons who were working for profit.
The speaker, who was once village president OF
New Rochelle, referred TO his experience in trying
70 widen the streets o that city and said that the
improvements had cost a much larger sum Of
money than any had anticipated because Of the
numerous claims that put in and allowed by
politicians for damages alleged because OF the
changes of grades
4 don't know that anything wrong was done
said NJ. Nelson hut ] simply say that our suspi
cions were aroused" Municipal ownership he cor
tended. would build up great political machines I
which good citizens would be unable 30 destroy
in replying 10 NJ. Nelson's remarks. Mr. Little
ton said he did not believe that public officials were
more corrupt than priva'e corporations. lie con (
flnued.
The attack Of Mr. Nelson on bosses and n,achires /
.S Gas 50 interesting that i almost made forget
c, 1 ~ leeeh5iy had an investigation ~ insurance
cHl1Iailies and or the railroads and the concerns
Wnleh supply US with our beef. Taking the relela-
SONS mace az these Investigations under cons:dera-
e: - an m almost ready 10 believe that individuals
sssed - , 20 pIlyaie business are almost corrupt
conduct their own go,ernr1ft ,J INV I now -
made mo forget fhat G11r ri,-st 5 lss a.Inost
9 Ge9 Illtg iheusaLd persons lsst year ana that a
sTest many OF ms are even afraid To ride on the 1
eest OF them He refers to loss on tho part oP ne
operation 5f So sp ~ S-5"V or more on its municipal
not long ago on The Sound hy The burning nc . (
Nelson has told about a nunicpsIi2, o,,.ratai
.ro,l5 rs,9 t9Llor IN, IA some city in Europe We'll /
an indiEldualistic poolroom daughter Wbat -
schools sidewalks hospitals for - 'adiiilg ~ wafer;
snfloge,s over which people may walk ana furnish
electric light? II Tho city can DO fepnones ne and
she S4herP ie PeOple ule benefit why fl not DO
MI l-uleton stated that lie did not believe rho.
u Was within tho province the national ana c..
koFefainen's 10 take over business run BY private
corporations, but lie said tie cities yvera lte,a~.
from the nation as their form Of government ,,s
essentially different For them to operate MT,
own utilities. he said was only matter OF rn,nci
pal housekeeping
Iaking up the subject street railway service f.,
New York. the speaker said that out Of the whole
evolution OF years OF struggle the ,,.o,1. -.
sound ihat all tke street railways Of Manhattan
@siand were owned and controlled by single sat
of Enen These men, he said, 10 pay diytdends ~,
Watered stocks and interest on bonds resorted .,
the practice Of keeping the service down 10 ~.
lowest minimum cost and the cost of transportation
mp
what does this mean?" lie asked 1T means
that certain men ere taking money from the 1,ocl
cts OF the people and paying out in dividends on
watered stock, when these earnings ought 10 be an
piled 70 improving the service and lowering the
New York. lie said. was paying $4,000 a wear for
telepnone billss when II ought TO be talking
years OF lnunlclIal ownership. Mr.. LittletUn ad-
mitEed. would be somewhat disastrous bur he sad !
.aat the great cites OF thls country had got "a (
leefa 10 control every paftcle OF the transpOrta-
zion within their boundaries IL the people were /
ever 10 have better service and cheaper fares
The great argument against the rniIniriI. Il t,es /
acquiring public utilities. he continued Ras the !
ceed the public debt limit OF 10 per cent Of Their
assessed real estate values. This obstacle he said /
the city with properties which are now nut down |
liabilities but should really be I'm the column of
Rnd subway Of New York now charged /
AGAINST the city as a LIABILITY When in reality they
Regarding Mr. Nelson's argument that municipal
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