Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-14
CARS
Manager DaIrympIe Tells How
They Do in Glasgow.
POLITICIANS GET NO FAVOR
System Is Operated Purely Along
Lines of Merit.
JOBS FOR LIFE AND PENSIONS
Men Are Content to Remain at
Small Pay, But They Must
Give Up Drink.
POLITICIANS GET NO FAVOF
JOBS FOR LIFE AND PENSIONS

Give Up Drink.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
| Special Correspondence OF The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald
GLASGOW, September 8, 1905.
Municipal ownership. or. using the
broader term. municipal socialism, has
been carried to greater extent in Glas-
! gov, and perhaps with greater success.
than in any other city in the world. ex-
cept Vienna. The municipality of Glas-
| cow does not conduct a beer saloon
! restaurant, as does that of Vienna, or
| the business of florist, but it does
almost everything else. 1t owns and
| maintains art galleries. museums. libra
ries. lighthouses, laundries, markets. old
clothes shops, telephones, electric lights
and gas. water works. slaughter houses.
fish markets, bird and dog markets, stock
yards, labor employment bureau. model
tenements and lodging houses. 1t makes
very strict rules for the construction Of
factories, business blocks and residences.
1t maintains technical and manual train
| ing, as we'll as free public schools. and
keeps a close watch upon the health as
well as the behavior of its citizens.
Manager James Dalrymple.
James Dalrymple, general manager of
the municipal street car line, was called
to Chicago two or three years ago, dur
ing the city campaign at which the munic-
ipal ownership Of street car lines was
the chief issue. He made report which
pleased and offended the people of that
city, as they were predsposed concerning
the subject of the official management
of transportation lines. He has visited
| all the other prominent cities of the coun-
try and investigated their transportation
systems. that he Is able to discuss the
| question of municipal ownership from a
more intelligent point of view than the
ordinary observer, and particularly Its
| application to conditions In the United
| States.
/ You own your gas works and water
works and electric plants in some of your
| Cities said Mr.. Dalrymple this morning,
when l asked him for an interview, but
we have everything in the way of public
utilities under municipal control and man
! agement We bought up the gas COM
pany long ago We purchased the water
supply system and bored a tunnel through
the mountains to Loeb Katrine, thirty or
forty miles, and have an inexhaustible
supply of the best water in the world.
! We own our telephone system also, out
it is soon to be turned over to the post
/ office department of the imperial govern
ment in connection with the general tel
ephone and telegraph system throughout
the kingdom.
And we have many other municipal UNI
dertakings, particularly sewer system.
Our tenement houses l am sure you could
study with profit.
"Of course you know that have SAID
good deal on the subject Of street rail-
way management in the United States,
and my views, whatever they are worth,
are pretty we'll known to the managers
OF your street car companies. l. am still
of the opinion that IL the transportation
systems Of Chicago and other cities were
| conducted with the independence. econ
omy and care that We observe here there
would be no difficulty in making them pay
| and giving an improved service. But that
means that your politicians must Keep
| their hands off and your street car man.
ayers must have absolute authority to
do what they think is right and best for
the business regardless of personal and
political considerations.
General Manager Absolute.
IF the Glasgow tramways have been
successful under municipal ownership II
is due simply to the fact that the general
manager Is absolute in his authority and
is not interfered with by anybody in his
management. The city council fixes the
wages, the hours of work. the rates of
fare and the general policy of administra-
ton. and leaves me to work them out
! without interference. l hire Whomsoever
l please. discharge them at will and make
rules and regulations that I consider nee
essary. The labor unions do not inter-
fere with me any more than the politi-
| clans. My relations with the unions are
very friendly. and l frequently confer
with their officials concerning questions
that affect the general body Of the motor
men and conductors and other employees,
but they understand that / will not allow
any interference with the discipline Of the
| force. and 1t is none of their business
| whom | employ or whom l discharge. or
the reasons therefor. At the same time
they understand that our merit system
for promotion will be strictly observed.
and that no preference will be shown to
any employee except on account OF his eff
ficiency and length of service.
Every man who enters the employ of
the tram lines Of Glasgow begins at the
very bottom and accepts the lowest wage
but he knows that he mas a good job
for life and a pension il he is disabled
and that he will get on in his turn if
he is efficient, honest and sober. Every
vacancy that occurs is filled by promo
ton in order Of service and merit. We
could not afford to deviate in a single
instance. because 1t would demoraiize the
men and destroy their faith in us. And
then there would be no use in talking.
Politicians Get No Favors.
Don't the politicians and the members
of the city council ever come to you to
ask the appointment of friends and the
promotion of employees in whom they are
interested"
Very often: they have TO come: they
are compelled to do it because of the i'm
portunities of their constituents and we
understand each other perfectly we'll.
know that they come because they have
to. and not because they expect to get
anything: while they know that they are
wasting their time and that / will never
vary from an intiexible rule to Oblige any
| of them"
How do you employ your men," l ask
ed
In any large city like Glasgow or
Chicago with tremendous traffic
through crowded streets 1t Is of great
importance to have a thoroughly capable
staff of motormen and conductors; and,
indeed the SUCCESS OF the system depends