The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-05-07
M. 0. IN AUSTRIA,
The Chief BuIWark of the Party
In Power.

the Party In controI-Would Mean
the End Of Democracy In America.
BY DEXTER MARSHALL.
l had talk with Vienna business
man the other day about municipal
ownership in Austria. 1t would be
obviously improper to use his name,
but he is a man of weight and stand
ing, who knows what he is talking
about. In the light of what he said
It is easy to see how municipal owner
ship of public utilities In the United
States might keep one political party
permanently In power and thus per-
petuate whatever system Of graft
might spring up.
My friend would not talk about the
existence of graft in connection with
the operation of utilities there, but he
was emphatic in his statement con-
corning the hold it has given the party
In power.
Public ownership is well developed
in Austria, there being practically no
privately owned railroads or street car
lines in that country. Vienna owns
not only the street cars, the electric
light and gas works. but many other
things. including great array OF
butcher shops. the largest brewery and
the most impressive beer drinking place
in the city. besides some Of the most
desirable quarries In the vicinity.
These quarries were acquired when the
famous Ringstrasse was to be opened
in order that the government might
possess It's own supply Of stone for the
erection of the public buildings now
ranged on either side of the beautiful
tEoroughfare. The purpose for which
the quarries were acquired was accom-
plished years ago. but they are still op-
Grated by the city in competition with
private quarrymen.
| asked whether the various munic-
ipal and government enterprises in
Austria paid profit for the reduction
of taxes or not.
They are supposed to do So" he re-
places will ever really know much
about It, Anyway, the system of public
ownership is certain to be extended
| rather than checked in Austria.
"Why? Partly because it IS largely
by the votes Of the men employed on
the railroads, the street car lines and
all other public enterprises that the
government is able to maintain itself
This Is so important factor In the
! situation that public utilities would
| continue to be operated by the author
| tiles even If the result were money
loss.
"The suffrage is restricted In Aus
| tria to such an extent that there are
only about 100000 qualified voters In
the country. They include the con-
| ductors, trainmen, engine drivers, fire.
men, etc. on the national railways;
also the station keepers and other em-
| ployees at each station, the men en-
| ployed on the tracks, in the shops, etc.
| They also include the street car men
in Vienna and other municipalities, the
men employed in the Vienna slaughter
houses, in the meat shops, in the great
municipal brewery, and SO on, besides
the thousands employed In the legiti-
mate governmental bureaus.
"Now, there may be public utility
employees here and there who have
enough personal independence to vote
as they choose regardless OF their en-
plOyment, but they are few and far BE-
tween. When found out their useful
ness in the public service Is no longer
apparent, and they lose their jobs
promptly. The result Is that the gov
ernment can always count practically
upon solid block of 100000 voters, or
about one In four of the entire elector'
ate, at the popular elections.
LAS matter Of fact, the government
has almost as strong hold upon many
other thousands of workingmen voters
as it has upon those who are directly
In its employ, some say 3OO.OOO al
least. A portion Of them work In the
locomotive shops, the rolling mills. the
car shops and other establishments
which furnish the rolling stock. the
rails and the supplies to the govern
ment and municipal railroads.
"As there are practically no possible
customers for rails or cars. for loco
motives, either steam or electric. or, In
fact, for any sort Of railway supplies
except the national and municipal gov
ernments the managers Of the estab
lshments furnishing such things must
stand we'll with the authorities or be
wiped out, and the same Is true. though
in less degree, of the makers of dy
namos and motors and many Other
things.
"The best way for these manufac
turers, who, next to the government 1t
self, are the most extensive employers
of labor in Austria, to stand we'll witt
the government is to see to 1t that
their workmen vote right and thit
they certainly do.
"The thousands of men they can con
troll, added to the 100000 in the various
forms of direct government employ
ment, make up q total of million
voters, or one-third of the whole
Their solidarity practically insures in
definite control of the government BY
the party with which they vote. Their
can certainly be little chance in Aus
tria for a change in governmental con
ditions so long as there is no chang
with regard to the country's utilities
There are observers who, bearing IL
mind the many warning elements II
Austria, do not hesitate to say that tn
stability of the Hapsburg throne ttsel
depends largely upon the cOhesiv
power Of public ownership"
Best Healer in the World.