The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1908-02-07

as in some portions of Virginia, the
rates at present charged are almost
lprohibitive unless the owner de-
sires to give the value of HE prop
erty to the insurance companies
within short term of years. This
club should take steps to convince
the insurance companies, if pos
sible, that Virginia is now entitled
to substantial reduction and by
co-operation with the other CON-
mercial bodies on the range might
bring about general reduction.
The building of homes might be
encouraged by the formation of a
building and loan association; also
by the formation of corporation
among public spirited citizens of
means, who would build homes and
sell them on easy payments to
workingmen. BY little sustained
effort this club might bring about
the accomplishment of both these
desirable ends.
PUBLIC SERVICE UTILITIES.
Into the cost of living enters sev.
eral elements, including the fees
charged by public service corpora
tions, such as railroads, telegraph
and telephone companies, rights for
light and water, and so on. There
are two widely divergent views held
in this country, as to the proper So
luton of this problem. One is that
all public utilities should be pub
licly owned, while the other is that
they should be privately owned,
but that their rates should be made
reasonable by public control. 1t
may not be necessary for me to in
form you that I believe in public
ownership, because I do not think
it possible to secure absolute
equity, nor anything approaching
it, through private ownership. But
since it seems to be the accepted
policy in majority of cases to try
public control under private own.
ership, consider it the duty of
bodies of this character, and of
public officers, to see to it that
their communities are not imposed
upon in the matter of rates and
fees charged. I believe that close
investigation of these rates is a
legitimate function of this club,
and that it should watch with
jealous eye that no injustice is done
to and that no discrimination is
practiced upon the consumers of
the city.
SANITARY CONDITIONS.
Another element that enters
largely into the problem of home
building among. citizens of the
more desirable character is the
matter of sanitation. The theory
that if person swallows or inhales
certain disease germ he must
necessarily contract that disease is
pretty generally exploded. 1t ia a
fact now generally accepted that
most diseases are caused by un-
sanitary and unwholesome condi.
tions. 1t should be the effort of
this club, first of all things, to make
of Virginia clean and inviting
city, that the most desirable citizens
may be induced to build homes
here. Efforts should be made to
see that the laws of health are
strictly enforced and that the sew
erage system shall be improved
and extended and generally used
as rapidly as possible. In my opin-
ion the city should assist property
owners with the means to connect
their buildings with the sanitary
sewers, and allow the property
owners to pay back the money with
their taxes divided over term of
years. Sewers are not of much
benefit unless they are generally
used and steps should be taken to
get them in use as rapidly as pos.
sible.
MEETINGS.
As l view it the meetings of this
club are Get too far apart for the
best results. Thirty days is too
long for most people to remember,
and interest lags as a result. l be-
lieve the club should meet every
week, at least once every fortnight.
If the organization intends to be of
benefit to the community, it must
take different course than it has
adopted during the past year, which
was characterized principally by
neglect and indifference, More fire
quent meetings would have a ten
dency to sustain interest and place
the club in position to tackle and
dispose of problems as they occur.
In conclusion, gentlemen, desire
to say that among the characters
of history, have more respect for
a Napoleon than Mark Hanna.
While l have little sympathy with
Napoleon'e career and purposes, I
believe it is better to fight for come.
thing, and die fighting if need be,
than to adopt the death.invitihg
policy of "letting we'll enough
alone"
1 would have this club invite
every citizen of the city, whether a
property owner or not, to ioin with