Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-06-27
A FABLE FOR CRITICS.
Particularly Those Who Oppose
Municipal Ownership.
THE WIZARD WAVES HIS WAND


Pay For the Privilege of Walking or
Sitting Down.
IL don't believe In municipal own
ershlp." said the Carping Critic.
"schemes OF that kind are always rank
failures. You can't convince me that
public utilities may be managed bet
ter by municipalities than by private
ownership. There is entirely too much
sociallstlc foolishness in this country
nowadays. I'm opposed to municipal
ownership in any form whatever"
The Carping Critic and the NJ. o.
Advocate were taking stroll together.
They had arrived at the entrance to
the city park. The M. o. Advocate
laughed softly as he drew from his
pocket curious wand. He said:
I'm a wizard. Maybe you didn't
know II, but am. Presto-changep
He waved the wand In the air. Sud-
denly a gate was thrown across the
park entrance. A small ticket booth
ioomed up at the side Of the gate.
"Here, what's the reason they've got
TITS private enterprise, you know"
replied the Wizard. This park be-
longs 90 the Park Syndicate, limited,
and, being private enterprise, OF
course n charge IL made for admission.
But II costs only 10 cents apiece.
Here, two tickets, please"
The ticket seller took the money, the
tickets were handed TO the gatekeeper,
and the gate swung open. The two
men entered the park and strolled
along for half a mile or so, when the
Critic remarked that he was n little
tired and would like 10 sit down.
"But I don't see any seats alongside !,
the walk" he said I'm surprise.
NO" replied the Wizard, "but yon-
der they are In that roped off place |
The charge for seats Is only a Nickel |
however, 80 Wen buy tickets"
After resting nickel's worth each
the men arose TO go. They reached |
the exit without incident, but the Crit
&c, who was slightly In advance OF his
companion. was halted by hand laid
upon his shoulder.
"Ticketw sharply cried the uniformed
person to whom the hand belonged.
'NNhatT demanded the Critic, open
mouthed with amazement.
Ticket, please. You've forgotten to
show your ticket"
"a ticket for what, may I ask?"
Where are you from?" was the /
counter query from the person In uni
form. you've got 10 show your tick
et II you walk on this street. Other
wise You don't walk See"
The Critic turned 10 his companion.
-Its all right" said he Wizard.
This street belongs 10 Jones & John
son. They own half dozen streets In
the city. You buy your street ticket
here. for Instance, and Il is punched
by the street man when you start 10
walk on Third street and punched
again on Plum street, and so on Quite
n handy arrangement, ehT added the
Wizard, with n CHASTITY smile.
"Who owns the rest OF the streets3"
the Critic inquired.
"oh, they're divided up among a
dozen firms or corporations. That
makes II little awkward, you know,
because you've got 10 carry your pock.
ct full OF street tickets II you want TO
walk anywhere In the city without be-
ing held up 10y street man aud order
ed 70 go ana buy your ticket or permit
10 perambnlate on such ana such a
street. Then there's an extra charge
for teams. OF course, and a different
set Of tickets. Automobiles, for In.
stance, are held up at each street cross.
ing 80 that the employees OF the street
operators may see II tho chauffeurs
hold the proper tickets. Sometimes the
auto folks do lot OF kicking, but pri-
vate interests must be protected. you
know"
"What brought about ALI this
changeT weakly asked the Critic.
'Didnt the streets and the parks used
20 he public property. kept up by the
city and free 20 all the citizens and
anybody else who wanted 60 use
themw
"Oh. yes" replied the Wizard. "but
that was before the days when munici.
pal ownership went ont OF fashion. A
lot of carping critics got together and
declared that any sort OF municipal
NNhNAehAH NhN hiohASNAhthA WIS 30
cialistlc and dangerous, SO l. being a
wizard. just drew this little wand OF
mine and wiped municipal ownership
OF the face OF the city map. How do
you like ltT'
The Carping Critic grinned feebly.
biz his lower lip and humbly requested
the Wizard TO restore the municipal
ownership aud management of streets
and parks.
"And n the city can operate these
public utilities successfully" he admit
ted. Il can't see why Il can't operate
the street ear lines, too. instead OF Civ.
ing up the right OF way To private cor
porations which run the ears for prodt
And We might add the lighting system
and the wa,erworks and the sewers
anu few other public utilities"
WherCunOn the Alunlcinal DVVnarshfn