The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-06-14
HOW JOSEPH DID IT.
Chamberlain's Remarkable Ma
chine In Birmingham.

He Made Municipal Ownership Their.
His Stepping Stone to Great PoIitica
Power-The City, Which Was PIeasee
at First, Is Now Paying the Bills Fol
His Success - Nineteenfold Increase
of Municipal Debt In a Little More
Than Thirty Years.
By INQUIRER.
Advocates of municipal ownership
almost invariably instance what has
been done in Birmingham, where 10.
seph Chamberlain, ''the father of Brit
ish municipal ownership" started the
movement, as the strongest possible
support of their argument.
There is no doubt that Birmingham
Is in a much better condition now than
1t was in 1870, when Chamberlain be-
gan his work there, but at q cost which
even Birmingham is finding an enor-
mously heavy burden-a burden ii
would not now be saddled with had
its policy been more liberal toward
the companies which desired, but were
not allowed, to introduce the utilities
which under Chamberlain's inspiration
and direction the city introduced for
Itself.
Some idea of the magnitude of Bir-
mingham's present burden may be
gained from the growth of its debt
Whnu Cha no Iai IN, f,,. Il,
seventies the city owed in round num-
bers 100000. It's present debt, after
thirty odd years of municipal owner
ship, according to the latest available
figures, is more than $75,000,000, or
almost nineteen times as much, and
1t is still rising. This is the greatest
Increase of debt reported in the same
time by any city in the world and it
has been accompanied by correspond
Ing increase in the rate of local taxa
ton instead Of a reduction, as would
have been the result if the Industries
were really profitable.
1t has been the cry of many munic-
pal ownership advocates that the util-
ties owned and operated by the cities
would in time make such large profits
that they would wipe out practically
all municipal debt The fact that it
has increased instead of decreased in
all cities Introducing municipal owner
ship, i'm birmingham more than in any
other, is responsible for the present
hostile attitude of the majority of the
British voters tc n continuance of NJ.
D. policy.
Joseph Chamberlain has been one Of
the strongest men in British public life
.or nearly forty years, and his infiu-
ance has been for good in some direc-
lions, but lie is unquestionably respon-
sible for the terrific burden of local
taxes and debt under which his coun-
try is now grooming, as well as for
lack of electrical develop
ncnt, both as to lighting and trolleys,
N comparison with almost every other
He began preparing for his munich
pal ownership campaign in 1870, five
years before he was elected mayor, and
made it the stepping stone for his re-
career in British national pol
tics. He found it a particularly po-
tent help in building up a local ma
thine whose grip upon Birmingham has
been and is today stronger than Tam
nany's on New York or the celebrated
organization" on Philadelphia.
Chamberlain's first step was to get
himself elected to the city council. He
vas building up the machine screw
business at the time. AS it developed
gradually swallowed up all compel
tors until its employees numbered
more than any other class Of employees
here. They lived in every section of
he city, and they all voted as Cham
)erlain directed. Then he enlisted in
he municipal ownership cause four or
i've of the strongest nonconformist
minister's in Birmingham. Practically
III of those who sat under the preach
ng of these ministers also voted as
directed.
BY the time he was chosen mayor in
S75 the council was strongly in the
for municipal ownership or
nything else that Chamberlain de
ired. In the first year of his admins
ration the waterworks were taken
yer. The gas works followed year
lter and the third year municipal
housing Of the working classes" was
,egCn.
The number OF city employees was
increased by these addi-
ions to the city's activities, and Of
curse they all voted as Chamberlain
ERECTED. This made it possible for
i'm to go TO parliament as Liberal
t the expiration of his mayoralty term
nd to elect the other two members TO
,llch the city was entitled, John
Bright and the Hon. Mr.. Dixon.
Those three men studied the political
ituation in Birmingham as it was