davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-07-18
THESE CITIES AGAINST IT.
Municipal Ownership Turned Down IL
Various Places.

The voters of Colorado City have re-
fused to sanction a bond issue for a
municipal lighting plant.
The proposition to bond ,Willisville,
H., for an electric light plant was de-
feated at a recent election.
The city council of South Sharon
Pa, has decided not to issue bonds for
On electric light plant
Lake Forest, H., voted down the
proposition to buy the works of tive
Lake Forest Water company. The vote
stood 292 to GS.
The Pittsburg (Kan) Headlight states
that at a recent election the PROPOSE
ton to bond the city for the purchase
of the waterworks was defeated by
$50 to 1903.
The Waterloo Qa) Reporter states
that Strawberry Point, in that state,
after employing experts to investigate
the matter has decided against a mu-
nicipal light plant and in favor of a
franchise
The final abandonment of municipal
ownership by Muncie, Ind, is an as
Sured fact. The machinery of the cleo
trio light plant, which broke down a
year ago after being in operation four
teen years. has been sold at a fraction
Of its cost. The city had invested $780,
O00 in the plant.
Apparently the voters of Bryan, o.,
| 10 not regard municipal ownership as
so much of a success that they want
| more of it, for they have defeated an
ordinance providing for a bond issue
of $4,000 for the improvement OF the
lighting and water plants. This illus
trateS one of the evil results Of the
system. for the money was needed to
guip the plants with new and more
-g.a)mical machinery.
Van W. Welsh, village clerk OF Bev-
IL, O.. writes as follows in response
- a request for the reasons for the
SIC by that village Of its electric light
ant: will say the greatest reason
~ selling the plant was that the vii
re could get no satisfactory service
+ Ia plant in the mana " it was being
...,:..lcd. The plant has been sold to
cal parties with the hope of getting
liter service in the future"
Rutherford. y. j., has decided not to
- into the lighting business. This de-
| cision was reached at public meeting
c2.ied by the mayor to act upon the re-
| port Of a committee of citizens which
had been for year making thorough
| Investigation of the subject. The re-
port was unfavorable to the establish
l.ent of either a gas or an electric light
! plant and stated that a study of the
| subject showed that there have been
! more failures than successes" There
! vas no hostility to municipal owner
! SIP rs a theory, but a grave doubt as
| - It's practicability.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-07-18
JOTT|NGS BY
VARIOUS EDITORS
Editorials Clipped from the Papers of
Nearby Towns.
DISCUSSIONS ON CURRENT EVENTS
The School Trustee is Given an Ex-
celient, Free Portrait of Himself
by the Montgomery Press-Other
Subjects Well Handled.

The county school commission
ers have handed out a new batch
of appointments of school trustees,
and in most cases comforting trouble
as welllas;honor upon the apointees.
The office of school trustee is an
honorable one, and charged with
responsibility, and all that. 1t is
big enough to make the new trus-
tees believe they are climbing the
ladder of fame. 1t is dangerous
to appoint school trustee, since
no one can tell where it will lead,
but it is worse to remove one from
Office. A school trustee. like a
judge Of Ielection or registration
officer, is an important man in his
community. The trustees have
great authority in one particular
they can order the winters sup
ply of fire wood for the district
school. OF course the real fun is
to visit the school," and when
the children keep so still and look
so scared the trustee knows how it
feel to be great man. It's nice
to be a school trustee.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-07-18

An unfavorable report on municipal
ownership was made to the city council
of Naukauna, Wis, by an aldermanic
committee that visited Bellefontaine,
Columbus, Richmond, Reeseville and
Evansville. Alderman Martin said the
lighting plant at Bellefontaine cost
$4,000; that the city owes $500, 900
bonded debts and has 4 tax rate of 4
per cent. The city owns waterworks,
gas and electric lighting plants. con-
ducts extensive Improvements and pays
its public officials high salaries for
tending the plants.
Alderman Martin further says that in
other cities, in the effort to make
good showing plants are allowed to
run down until the amount they are
bonded for would not be covered BY
the present value of the property.-Mu-
ricipal Journal and Engineer.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-07-18
Covering Up WastefuIness.

The present evil of municipal own.
ershlp is the extravaganza of political
management of industries. This is
generally masked by putting part
the cost on the taxpayers by borrow
ing money on the credit of the city or
spending it out of the general rev.
euues. The ultimate and oppressive
evil of municipal ownership as illus
trated in the history of British provln-
cial' cities is the steady progress to-
ward bankruptcy made by continually
increasing the city's debt to render all
kinds Of service to the public at a con-
slant loss, continually made up by
taxation and borrowing till the city's
credit is gone,-From an Editorial in
Minneapolis Tribune.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-07-18
GRANT AND THE NOMINATION.

Jesse r. Grant, son of the late
Ulysses S. Grant, seems to be an
active aspirant for the Democratic
Presidential nomination next year.
Mr.. Grant is now in the West with
H. H. Childers, a former Taxas
newspaper man, who was connect
ed with the speakers bureau of
the Democratic National Com
mittee in the halcyon days of 1904
when that organization had its
headquarters across Tkirty-fourth
street from the Waldorf Astoria,
in New York city aud Tom"
Taggart, August Belmont. Will
lam +, Sheehan, Urey Woodson
and Delaney Nicoll fought their
daily battles and mismanaged the
Democratic campaign with such a
degree of mastery ineficiency as
to attract general attention Mr..
Childers seems to be acting as Mr..
Grants press agent, or, at least it
appears that Mr. Grant is being
press-agented and the former news
paper writer is naturally picked
out as the responsible person.
Mr. Grant, to whose Presidential
aspirations and personally some
attention has already been paid in
this country, was bornin St. Louis.
1t evidently is the purpose of his
friends to seek Southern support
for his boom on that account. He
looks like Southerner and he
dresses like some Southerners =
somewhat like Representative
Burleson, of Texas, for example,
or John Sharp Williams. He is
modest, but not averse to high
Office to which he aspires, if re-
marks attributed to him in the St.
Louis papers are to be accepted.
At one time, 1t appears, he even
admitted that Henry Watterson
might have had him in mind when
telling OF the famous dark horse
with a mustache. Unfortunately,
from the standpoint of the son of
the famous Union general who was
atterward President, Mr.. Grants
face is innocent of hirsute adorn-
ment. 1T seems that somebody
besides Mr.. Bryan is wanted ," one
st Louis paper quotes Mr.. Grant
as saying, and l see no reason
why should not have an eXcell-
ent chance. There are 5000, 900
or 1000, 900 men in this country,
any one of whom could fill the
Presidential chair, and believe l
am one of them" He will decide
finally whether to try for the nomi-
nation or not after touring Arkan-
sas, Texas, Louisiana and other
Southern States. Washington
Herald.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-07-18
GETTING READY TO SELL.
Valley City, N. D., and Souderton, Pa, :
Tired Of Their Electric Lighting
Plants

valley CITY, N. u, 'anS Soudertony Ia,
Tired Of Their Electric Lighting
Plants.
Wiley City, y. H.. has decided by
-,-a u nearly three to one 10 sell its
eye tric light plant. every ward in the
city voting in favor of the sale. In
explaining the cause of this action a
local banker writes that. like most
sch enterprises, thu Valley City plant
",as become burden to the city and
J. been furnishin. Ioor lights for the
past two years. For this reason and
!..c&1se of Increasing prices many
lave deserted the service.
The dissatisfaction with the service
has been growing a long time. Two
attempts were made to dispose of ii
three years ago. The first bids We're re
iec,cd as being too low The next bid.
accepted by the council. was not in
accordance with the Specifications, and
another bidder secure m injunction
restraining the sale. Many business
houses have installed private gasoline
LIGHTING systems of their own.
According to the Electrical World,
the town council of Souderton. Pa. is
conSidering the proposition of aban-
douing the borough electric light plant
and purchasing electricity to operate
the borough lighting system. the West
Telford Electric company having offer
cd TO furnish electric energy at low
en- price than the borough can manu-
facture it.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-07-18
ABOUT PARAsOLS
FIFTY YEARS AGO
The Advantage Of the Modern Affair
Over the Ancient Shade.

When men and women now fifty
were small boys and girls parasols
were made with hinged handles.
Later came time when those par
asols went entirely out of use.
supplanted by modern parasols
with solid sticks. Now folding
handle parasols have come in again
and there are now to be found also
they were never heard of in old
times-folding handle umbrellas.
The handle of the old-fashioned
folding parasols was secured and
held in position when set straight
by means of a sliding band, and
unless this band fitted very nicely
and snugly the handle was likely
to wobble more or less. The mod
ern folding handle umbrella or
parasols has joints so made that
when the umbrella is set up COM
plete for use the joints are invisi-
bic and the whole handle is as
rigid as a solid stick.
Instead OF being held together
when Strengthened out in place by
sliding band, the sections of the
handle of a modern folding UNI
brella are screwed together.
But while in this modern revival
of folding handle parasols and this
present day production of folding,
handle umbrellas the jointed hand
les are largely of this new form of
construction; there is now made
and sold smaller folding handled
parasols called parasolette in
which the old fashioned sliding
band to cover the Joint in its stick
near the top, so that its top when
opened can be returned down
against the stick, in which from it
might in some circumstance be
conveniently useful as a protection
against the sun, one of the uses of
the parasolette being found in
driving. Closed, and with it han
die folded, the parasolette is
scarcely more bulky or cumber-
some than good sized folded fan,
and 50 it can be conveniently car
ried.
There are now made for those
who desire them umbrella cases of
sole leather, the umbrella case,
which is among the newer Of the
many and varied forms in which
luggage equipment is nowadays to
be found, being a slender and
tapering but stout leather holder
Of size sufficient to contain a fold
ing handle umbrella with the ham
die folded. New York Sun.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-07-18

Subscribe for THE REPUBLICAN.
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11
HARTMAN PROVIDES
PLACE FOR HIS NEPHEW
Retirement of Wilder Paves
Way for Promotion of
Relative

Following the example of the lats
c. p. Huntingdon. E. II. Hartman. his
successor In control of the Southern
Pacific company, will advance his
nephew to a position of trust with the
railroad. The retirement of ]. c. Will
der as superintendent Of the coast di-
vision. which was announced yester-
day. will pave the way for the promo
tfon of Averill Hartman. a nephew
of the Wall street magnate.
Wflder's post will be filed by Super
intendent McGovern Of the Tucson di-
vision and Averil1 Hartman will sue
ceed McGovern- Young Hartman. who
has been on the coast two years. has
been assistant to Superintendent Burk-
halter Of the San Joaquin division.
Wilder retires from the Southern Pa
cific after long service. 1t was stated
at the offices OF the Southern Pacific
yesterday that Wilder's retirement was
due TO i'll health 1t was also reported
that Wilder had under consideration
the management OF the new McCloGd
river road General Superintendent w.
s. Palmer denied that Wilder's retire.
ment was In any way due to dfssatiS-
faction occasioned by the recent wrecks
on his division.
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11

tax to administer in Its practical workings. and
great care would have to be exercised to see
that 1t was not evaded by the very man whom
it is most desirable TO have taxed. for IL so
evaded, IL would of course be worse than no
tax at all, as the least desirable OF all taxes
is the tax which bears heavily upon the honest
theiess. graduated income tax of the proper
type would be desirable permanent feature Of
federal taxation. and 1 still hope that one may
be devised which the supreme court will declare
constitutional.
INHERITANCE TAX EQUABLE
In my judgment however. the Inheritance tax
is both far better method OF taxation and
far more important for the purpose have In
view-the purpose OF having the swollen for
tunes of the country bear In proportion to their
size constantly increasing burden Of taxation
These fortunes exist solely because OF the pro-
lection given the owners By the public. They
a constant source Of care and anxiety to
the public and 1t is eminently just that they
tection given them. 1t IT, OF course. elementary
that the nation has the absolute right to de-
eide to the terms upon which any man shall
receive beQuest or devise from another We
have repeatedly placed such laws on our own
statute books and they have repeatedly been
declared constitutional by the courts. I believe
that the tax should contain the progressive
principle Whatever any individual receives
whether by gift bequest or devise. In life or In
DEATH should, after a certain amount Is reached.
be increasingly burdened; and ttf rate cf taxa
tion should be increased In proportion TO the
remoteness of blood OF the man receiving from
the man giving devisins. The principle OF
this progressive taxation of Inheritance has not
only been authorftatfvely recognised by the legis-
laton OF congress, but il Is now uneduivocally
adopted in the leading civilized nations OF the
world-in. for instance. Great Britain. France
and Germany. Switzerland led Oh with the i'm
position Of high progressive rates Great Britain
was the first Of the great nations TO follow
suit, and within the last few years both France
and Germany have adopted the principle In
Great Britain all estates worth 5000 or less
practically exempt from death duties. while
the increase is such that when sn estate ex-
ceeds five millions OF dollars In value and
passes to distant kinsman or stranger In blood
France, under the progressive system, so much
Of an inheritance as exceeds ten millions OF
dollars pays over 20 per cent to the state II 1t
passes to distant relative and per cent IL II
passes to direct heir. In Germany very small
inheritances are exempt, but the tax Is so
sharply progressive that an Inheritance not In
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11

exceeds
600. IL 1t goes to distant relatives. is taxed ss
the rate OF about 25 per cent.
BENEFITS OF GERMAN LAW
The German law Is OF special interest be-
cause 1t makes the Inheritance tax an imperial
measure while allotting to the individual states
OF the empire portion OF the proceeds aud
permitting them to impose taxes in addition &c
those imposed BY the imperial government In
the United States the national government has
more than once imposed inheritance taxes in
addition to those imposed by the states and ia
the last Instance about one-half OF the states
levied such taxes concurrentiy with the national
government. making a combined maximum rate.
In some cases high as 20 per cents and
matter of fact. several states adopted IN
herftance tar laws for the first time while ths
national law was still in force and unrepeale,s.
The French law has one feature which Is 20 bS
heartily commended. The progressive principle
IA so applied that each higher rate IL imposed
only on the excess above the amount subject to
the next lower rate. This plan Is peculiarly
adapted to the working out OF the theory Of
using the Inheritance tax for the purpose OF
limiting the size OF Unbeatable fortunes. since
the progressive Increase IN the rates. according
to this mode, may be carried to its logical con-
clusion in maximum rate Of nearly 100 per
rent for the amount in excess of specified
sum. without being conhscatory as To the rest
Of the inheritance: for each increase in rate
would apply only TO the amount above GER
tain maximum. I do not believe that any adj
vantage comes either to the country as whole
or to the individuals inheriting the money by
permitting the transmission IN their entirety Of
such enormous fortunes have been accumulated
in America. The tax could be made 20 bear
more heavily upon persons residing out OF the
country than upon those residing within IT,
WOULD NOT IMPEDE INDUSTRY
Such heavy progressive tax is Of course in
no shape or way a tax thrift or industry for
thrift and industry have ceased TO possess any
measurable Importance in the acquisition OF the
swollen fortunes of which i speak long before
the tax would in any way seriously affect
them. Such tax would be OF the methods
by which should try TO preserve a measur-
able equality OF opportunity for the people OF
the generation growing to manhood AS Lincoln
pointed out there some respects Ia which
men are obviously not equal; but there is
reason why there should not be an equality OF
self-respect and Of mutual respect, an equality
Of rights before the law and at least an ap-
proximate equality In the conditions under which
each man obtains the chance to show the stun
that is in him when compared with his fellows.
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11
Dog Rescues a Man
From Drowning

TIME big Newfoundland dog.
Boatswain, belonging to the
= scow White Wings, showed
remarkable sagacity yesterday
when Of his own accord he jumped
into the bay and rescued Oiof
Larsen, who had fallen overheard.
The White Wings was sailing
down the stream near Mission
bay, when 1t was struck by a sud-
den squail and Larsen was caught
~ . rope and pitched headiong
into the sea- He was 80 enfan-
gled I'm the rope that he could
not swim While the seow was
wearing about TO come to HIS res
cue, the dos Jumped overheard and
SWAN to Olsen, whom he grabbed
by the back OF the meek. He
kept the mans head above water
until the two were finally pulled
On hoard the seow.
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11
NEW SCALE DESTROYER
FOUND IN AUSTRALIA

The black scale which preys upon
the orange and olive in California is
hereby given notice that It's days are
numbered. The horticultural commits
sion has found a new enemy of the pest
and the name itself guarantees death.
The new destroyer is the lecanium
oleae. George Compere found it. name
and all, in Australia 1t was feeding
on the immature black scale there. He
has forwarded boxful OF the insects
to this city. They will be bred and
sent out in colonies.
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11

to the enormous waste caused by unrestricted
grazing on the open range; system of using the
natural forage on the public domain which
amounts to putting premium on its destruc-
tion. The recommendations OF the public lands
commission were sound. for they especially
in the interest of the actual home maker - and
where the small home maker could not Utilize
the land. 1t was provided that the government
should keep control Of it so that 1t could not be
monopolzed by a few wealthy men. Congress
has not yet acted on these recommendations. ex-
cept for the repeal Of the Ubiquitous lieu-land
law But the recommendations just and
proper. essential TO national welfare that
believe they Will surely ultimately be adopted.
In 1891 congress authorized the president to
create national forests in the public domain.
These forest reserves remained for a long time
in charge Of the general land office, which had
no men properly trained in forestry.
CHECKING FOREST WASTE
But another department that of agricul-
ture. possessed the trained men, In other
words. the government forests were without
foresters and the government foresters without
forests Waste of effort and waste of forests
inevitably followed. Finally the situation was
ended In 1908 by the creation of the United
States forest service. which has stopped the
waste, conserved the resources of the national
forests and made them useful: so that our
forests are now being managed on a coherent
plan and In way that augurs well for the
future
3 The mineral fuels of the eastern United
States have already passed into the hands of
large private owners and those of the west
are rapidly following. This should not be.
for such mineral resources belong in a peculiar
degree to the whole people. Under private
control there is much waste from shortsighted
methods of working. and the complete utiliza-
tion is often sacrificed for a greater Immediate
profit The mineral fuels under our present
conditions are as essential to our prosperity as
the forests will always be. The difference Is
that the supply is definitely limited. for coal
does not grow and trees do. 1t is obvious
that the mineral fuels should be conserved. not
wasted. and that enough of them should remain
In the hands of the government to protect the
people against unjust extortonate prices 30
far as that still be done. What has been
accomplished in the regulation of the great oil
fields of the Indian Territory offers a striking
example of the good results of such policy.
Last summer, accordingly, l withdrew most
OF the coal bearing public lands temporarily
from disposal and asked for the legislation
necessary TO protect the public interest by the
conservation Of the mineral fuels; that is. for
the power to keep the fee in the government
and to lease the coal. oil and gas rights under
proper regulation. No such legislation was
passed. but still hope that shall ultimately
.
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11

HE should demand the highest quality Of service from its
plue and should them properly Congress should adopt
legislation providing limited but accidents all Dkmen
pth The of the federal legislation should toIoD throughout
the President Roosevelt
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11
TWENTY EIGHT DROWN
ON FRENCH SCHOONER

BARBADOS. June 10. - Twenty
eight passengers, including IL women
and children, were drowned by the
sinking OF the French schooner La
Jalouse from Cayenne for ST. Lucia
The schooner sank OF Barbados last
Friday night Her captain and 20 men
reached Barbados yesterday.
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11

d ABROAD damages for accident that
such that mill be impossible the
successfully fight all right the
the federal government" President Roosevelt
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11

valuable Children
The Al people alive the nations need should join
together pok spiritual physical peae children
parts Of our land. President Roosevelt
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11
coLoRED MAsoNs IN SESSION

BAKERSFIELD, June 10.-The state
grand lodge OF colored Masons Is in
session In Bakersfield this week, be-
ginning a four days meeting this
morning. Fifty representatives, in
cluding the best known men of the race
In California. are at the convention.
The San Francisco call., 1907-06-11
BENEFITS OF GERMAN LAW

agricultural or forest lands which exceeds $3.50
600. IL 1t goes to distant relatives. is taxed e.
the rate OF about 25 per cent.