Evening star., 1908-01-12
w. B. MOSES & SONS, F STREET, CORNER 11Tf1

horses was opened, when the socialist
council passed contractors bill for
nearly $4,000 for horse hire for several
months. during which time. it was grave
] ly stated, the municipal horses were too
fat to work.
Another disastrous experiment was the
erection of the public baths I'm the Nine
Elms quarter. which Is one of the poorest
in London. The baths cost $325.O0O. and
there are no others, public or private.
anywhere in London that approach them
FOR magnificence and luxury. They cost
about $1,000 year to run. and the gross
income from them is only $1,000. The bal
ance has to be provided by the taxpayers.
~
Yet another glaring instance of the ex-
travagance OF the socialists is supplied
by what Is known as the Latchmere
housing scheme. The Battersea council
was in possession of a piece of vacant
land worth about $125. .0GO. and il was de-
cided to erect q block of tenement houses
on 1t at a cost of $685., 200 This was done.
but the work was SO badly performed
that about $1,000 had to be spent on re-
pairs the first year. and the net loss per
year has been S1.250 although the value
Of the land is not taken into account IN
reckoning the capital charges on the
buildings. 1t is stated that any con-
tractor in London would have erected the
buildings I'm better style for $4,000.
The classic instance of municipal social
ism run mad is the London county coun-
CHS steamboat experiment. The county
council which Is the chief municipal
authority in London. was until last March
In the hands of the socialists. and II has
been noted for its desire to municipalities
everything. There was a private COM
pany running a line of pleasure steam
boats on the Thames. 1t was not a very
successful company. but no matter. The
socialists on the county council decided
that here was a field for their activities.
They talked largely about restoring the
Thames to its ancient dignity London $
chief highway. and conjured up pictures
of the pageants when the kings of the
middle ages went by water from their
palace at Westminster to the city.
X
Thirty six boats were built at a cost
of more than $1,000, ,OOO and the service
was started. 1t survived two years and
now it has been abandoned and the boats
are rotting at their moorings while the
county council is waiting for purchaser
for them to turn up. The total loss on
running them In the two years has been
something over $50O000, and there has
been a net loss on every passenger carried
of AZ cents All that the council has TO
show for the money wasted is its fleet or
boats. which Is valued now at about
$750.O00, but which will probably not
fetch as much when sold by auction.
United Kingdom. however. is Glasgow.
the second city in. point OF size In the
country. 1t is entirely in the hands OF
the socialists. citizen OF Glasgow may
be born I'm a municipal house. and eat In
a municipal restaurant food bought in q
municipal market. He may wear clothes
bought in the municipal store. and he
may be buried by the municipal under
taker in the municipal cemetery. or
course, trans, water. gas. electricity. and
all other such activities are municipalized
There are 1900 men, or one-tenth of all
the voters in the city. on the municipal
payroll This Is one side of the picture.
The other Is that although the rateable
value of all the property in Glasgow is
only $2S.O0O.GOO. the city's debt Is more
than $15,OOO.0OO, and the government or
the city costs S15.OOO.OOO a year. There
is only about 100000 of the city's legal
borrowing power left, and the citizens
have to pay municipal taxes amounting
to $3.50. 600 a year, although 1t Is alleged
that many of the municipal undertakings
are making handsome profits.