Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-01-17
An HONEST CRATER
A Glimpse Into the Future OF Mu'
nicipaI Ownership.

peIitieian"--The Profits Of an Al
Around Servant Of the People, VIII
Seen His opportunitisE and Tool
EN-"
Honest graft" will reach its hlghes
level when, as predicted by the en-
thusiasts, the principles or municipa
ownershlp are accepted by New Yorl
aud the city controls the trolley lines
the electric light aud gas works an'
all the ferries as we'll ms The water
works and the police, the fire and ih'
street departments.
Then such patriots as George Wash
ngton Plunkitt, for many years or
ganlzation leader OF the Fifteenth die
trict in New York. will reap rewards of
greater magnitude than they have ever
been able to gather under the presen
order Of things.
Perhaps you have never heard about
Mr.. Plunkltrs honest graft" schemes
lie told about them himself In n booi
published last year. which wss intro
duced by n paragraph indorsing him "A
veteran leader OF the organization
signed by It's greatest chief.
Plunkiit was sore because there were
some objections TO graft being made
out OF the city by men Ike him. and in
the FIRST chapter OF bis book he uttered
n vigorous protest. "Blsckmeilin gam
blers. saloon Keepers. dIsorwerly peo-
pie, etc. he admitted 70 be wrong
That was dishonest graft
But" he added there's an honest
graft. aud I'm an example OF how IL
works I seen my opportunities and 1
took EN-
Mr. Plunkltt's explanation OF how he
did these things will illuminate the
possibilities Of future municipal owner
ship days, II they ever come.
After calculating the ways he was
tipped on" at various times by mem
hers ~ bis party the party In power
when new bridges. new parks. new
streets were to be opened. 80 that he
might invest I'm real estate likely 10
rise Ia price from the Improvements
contemplated. he adts II haven't ron
fined myself TO land. Anything that
pays " lu my line Then he gives q
sperlactlnstance
learning that the oi,y was about 10
repave certain street onj 80 would
have several hundred thousand old
paving htocks TO sell. he vas "on hand
10 buy" and he "knew lust what they
were worth hut u newspaper "Tied
10 do Hun and got some outside men
from nroohlSu mud Now Jersey 10 Ibid
aga insi tlm. Mr. GmLlll's own words
tell the story best
"Was I dnneP Not much. went
TO each ~ the men and said. How
many Or those 100000 stones do YOU
WANT One said eOo0O. and another
wanted la,o0o ani another wanted no..
600. | said, AN right; let me hid FOR
The lot, and IN give each or you all
YOU want for noih.u''
"lhcy agreed. ~ rourse. Then the
aucdoneer yelled How mach am | bid
Tor ihcsr hne pawn stonesY
rwo dollars aud ATTY cents, SAYS I,
1.-TWO dollars and dfty cents"
screamed Toe aurtIonetr on. hats
Joke. Gite mo u real hd
tie found the bld was real enough
Ny rivals stood Silent I got the lot FOR
~ 90 and gave Ihcm lhcIr share. That's
how ihe attempt 10 do pmnkllt ended.
aud that's how an such attempts end"
a. is hardly uertesIry. .n The light ~
this Authentic smiemuut ~ honest
gratis workings, fo enlarge up0u the
aAtrndct opportunities that would |
'ome 90 the meu of lhr rmukitt stamp |
were ihe dream of municipal owner
snip % come rue "luuki,t SAYS most |
politicians Who are accused OF robbln |
Ihe rliy gvi rich the same way be dld. !
"fhey didur steal dollar from the |
aS They iust seen ,heir opportunities !
and took them
While la the legislature piunkltt in. !
rcduced the bills that pro, Ided for the /
lutb ing parks % New YORK.. the Har /
en- river speedway lbe Washington /
lridgr, the One Hundred and Fifty |
ifth sueet vladuct. addition TO the
Museum ~ Natural Hisfory and many
'iher important public Improvements.
Ne h nov a millionaire Under the
'roposed order of thmEs. with city zoo.
rol of everything he might bccome .
,illlonalre
Under municipal ownership NJ al
'ahlie utilities 10 New York and In
ooat other cities IN fact politicians
ne fiunkitt. who al different times
as bcvn elected state senator. asseln
lyman, county supervisor aud alder
pan by bis fellow oltlsens. hsslaes
ervlng as pollce magistrate for one
erm' and who boasts 10 h's rc,Nlrd m
Hing feus public ofnccs m one year
nd drawing salaries from three af
hem q, ths same time would noarlsh
kc a whole grNVe 10 lav.en hay trasa