The Cairo bulletin., 1907-07-08
POLITICS is THE KEY
Concluded from First Page.)

I WIN are essentially monop9lies per
4 forming public service and are com
I PEELED to make use Of the streets
which are public property. If their
owners are private companies they are
compelled 70 get their franchises and
| all privileges of doing business, and all
terms and conditions Of service from
the municipal authorities. And in
carrying out their contract with the
municipality they are dealing continu-
ally with municipal officials. Conso.
quently II is absurd to assume thai
private ownership is non-political. It
is 16st as much a political question to
get and keep honest or business-like
municipal officials who will drive
good bargains with private companies
on behalf CT the public and then see
that the bargains are lived up to, as
nc Is 10 get similar officials to operate
"a municipal plant We do not escape
politics by resorting to private owner
ship we only get different kind OF
practical politics.
Examples in Various Cities
Referring to unfavorable conditions
politically under municipal operation
and citing an investigation of the
Wheeling gas works, Prof Commons
says:
The secretary of The Wheeling Gas
Trustees quoted by my colleague as
testifying to the political rottenness
OF the municipal gas works. is the
same man who testified to the politi
cal rottenness of the private gas, cleo
trleity and street car companies OF
that locality. Instead of relying on his
statements. | interviewed a large mum
Der OF officials, politicians, business
men. employees and Others. and check
ed up his statements respecting both |
the gas works and he corporations |
This shows that while the gas works |
are in politics, the public service cor
porations are also in politics The
gas employees take part in the pri.
naries of the Republican party and
he motormen and conductors of the
street car companies are given leave
If absence on pay to work in the pri-
naries of both the Republican and
Democratic parties. Even the officers
If the street railway employees union
axe part in this kind OF traction poll.
les on behalf of their employees
The councimen and aldermen nami
lated and elected in this way control
he municipal gas works and they
ontrol the franchises and contracts
# the private companies. The City II
Hall Ring is just as much ring of i
he political tools of the private cor |
as ii Is the ring of muni II
pal politicians. To pick out shc II
olitics of the gas works and not i
D see that il Is bound np with the d
olitics of the private corporations {
iould be a prryersc aud onesided (
lethod of Investigation The report (
ives not selected facts. but all Of q
ne facss in the situation. Indeed. q
ne secretary of the Wheeling Gas 1
. 'et''Hs ~ us ttiAtS AitlAtbii wv al w q
he political management of the gas !
orks, referred to by my colleagues. i
as defeated in the Republican pri.
laries by the motormen and conduc Ia
,rs of the street car company on lc
ave of absence as political work G
rs In
In cities other than Wheeling the 4
system prevails instead OF O
le direct primaries. and consequently Il
was not found that the wage earn q
$ of the private companies took u
milar active part in political cam d
ligns. But In Syracuse. Allegheny.
and Philadelphia. where ii
employees are named bv a
,lbicians. il was fo nd also that IA
rect car, electric. gas and waite is
mpanics had employed mcn on tie r,
~ c,nuciimeu. mayor -