The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-14
ENGLAND'S HUGE
DOODLE MACHINE
Municipal Conditions Worse Than In Amer
lean Cities.
Grating Machine Built Up by the Socialists and the
Trades Unionists-Labor Bosses Get Rich Rake
Offs and Enormous Sums of Money Are Wasted
Municipal Trading Has Brought Evils.
BY S. FRED. HOGUE

BY S. FIRE
LONDON. ENGLAND. October IL
Down the strand. past Trafalgar square
TO Waterloo Bridge. I walked to secure
"A good view of Fathcr Thames. IT, was
tho week OF the Harvard Cambridge boat
race. and I Joined in the general suppl
cation that weather and water should be
fine
In my guidehool5 the Thames glides
past the towers OF the Houses Of Parlia-
nleut "a stream OF liquid amber But the
thing l actually saw was a swirl OF
greasy brackish water that looked Ike
broadway when the clay and oil OF the
hills floats down 20 enrich the Easements
south of First street.
DO YOU think the river will clear bv
Saturday, I asked "A laced. helmcted
policeman. who was lending his moral
support TO the south buttress OF the
bridge.
Ills head moved from side TO side
with am easy swinging motion like the
pendulum OF a clock
Then there isn't much chance that the
race will be rOwed on blue water
persisted.
Ny reward was an introduction 10 Tie
cockney smile. "Hive lived IN Lunnen
for forty year an Hive only seen blue
water in the guidcbukes an tn pos cards
goin' TO America"
Thus one Of my idols was rudely shat
tered.
Sitting I'm the Office OF the secretary OF
the London Municipal Society 7 attc.nD1-
cd To reply TO a neatly turned comlli-
ment on the progress OF American cites
by remarkng that: England leads us in
many features OF municipal govern nen..
J understand that f. the cities 4 Greus
Britain there is no politics and 10 graft"
came the West End smile that rises
IA me hair roots and sinks from view
pa the mustache. II have read that
assertion In some Of your of-color maya
zines and IN books published FOR Arneri-
can consumption. but never in our own
papers / believe that your investigation
VIII convince you that politics IS the rule
and graft hardly the exception"
Another idol had toppled from it's
pedestal.
Worse Than American.
II was not necessary to probe very
deeply TO discover that the graft rnfcroba
wakes even fatteT under the Union Jack
than beneath the Stars and Stripes In
England II has richer food and fewer
enemies.
Not only are the municipal traders
thoroughly organized in the big cities
along the lines laid down by Croker and
Murphy for the guidance OF the faithful
lh New YORK they are Cemented in "a
general association promoted for the COM
mon defense and mutual welfare
The twenty-eight bOroughs OF Greater
"t-NtNtt sAt' ellfttA FAli ny none ON leU tF
every species OF graft in the arsot oC
municipal socialism. Some OF the mem
pers Of the crooks Kerr Hardie ring Of
labor union agitatOrs have gone 70 the
extreme or reaching boldly into the muni-
cipal purse and extracting gold hy the
handouts. Bat these are the bunglers
the amateurs. shall deal with them
later. Here are few examples OF the
work Of the professionals:
a year agO tho County Council Of Great
or London decided 70 widen a portion
Of the strand. Some OF the property
OF the Gaiety Theatre was taken the
company receiving an exceedingly gen
orons allowance Tor the land and inn
proVcments Couhscared. The Gaietv The
atre is In good standing with tho Social
ist-Labor Union party OF London Its
restaurant is one OF tho resorts ~ the
agitators
Six months ago two Conservative mem
hors of the Council scented "a bin for
extras that the finance committee was
trying 10 disinfect Investigation brought
20 light the fact that the aeitators we're
about 10 make a substantial present
10 the Gaiety Theatre. The extra bill
amounted 10 $500
When the two West End Councilrnen
protested. the agitators produced an
agreement pledging the Council to bear
the expense of certain extra finishing
on the south entrance. They said that
the style or building planned by tine
Gaioty people did not meet with their
approval. and that they were paying the
extra $500 10 carry out the art scheme
FOR the Strand Improvement. And de-
spite all further protests. the bu was
paid.
Eminent London solicitors pronounced
tho payment Illegal but there has been
no attempt at recovery. London called il
a "blunder,' and there was no investiga-
ton
A. Z. Brown held a lease standing in
the way Of street widening that forms
part OF the proposed Strand improve
ment The Council bought the lease.
paying n big premium. and the building
was to be demolished.
Three weeks ago Brown filed with the
Council an application for a renewal
OF his le9se. When the astounded Con-
servit IS protested nc pointed to a clause
in the contract giving to him the option
of an eight-year renewal
II this house is permitted TO stand ST
blocks an Improvement on which the
Council has already expended the great
sum Of c100oOo0. Brown offered 10 com
promise for G1oooOo. and the finance com
mittee virtually agreed to present him
this bonus. Crooks and his agitators
have passed toe word down the line that
Brown shall get il. But an unexpected