Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-09-09
alexandria Gazette.
WEDNESDAY EVENING. SEPT. 9. 1903
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP IN
AUSTRIA.

AUSTRIA.
had q talk with a Vienna business
man the other day about municipal
ownership in Austria. 1t would be
obviously improper to use his name
but he is man Of weight and stand
ing, who knows what he is talking
about. In the light Of what he said
II 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 1t 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 a 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 ouarries we're acquired when the
famous Ringstrasse was to be opened
In order that the government might
possess its own supply Of stone for the
erection Of the public buildings now
ranged on either side Of the beautiful
thoroughfare 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.
I asked whether the various munic-
ipal and government enterprises In
Austria paid a profit for the reduction
Of taxes or not
"They are supposed to do So" be re-
piled, "but no one save those In high
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 1t 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 a factor In the
situation that public utilities would
continue to be operated by the author
tiles even II the result were a 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 en-
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 legiu-
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
eminent can always count practically
upon q solid block of 100000 voters, or
about one in four OF the entire elector-
ate, at the popular elections.
"As a matter of fact, the government
has almost as strong hold upon many
other thousands Of workingmen voters
as II has upon those who are directly
in its employ, some say 100000 at
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-
lishments furnishing such things must
stand we'll with the authorities or be
wiped out, and the same Is true, though
in q 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 It
self, are the most extensive employers
Of labor in Austria, to stand well with
the government is to see to 1t that
their workmen vote right and this
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 total Of a million
voters, or one-thlrd of the whole.
Their solidarity practically insures In
definite control of the government by
the party with which they vote. There
can certainly be little chance in Aus
tria for a change in governmental con-
ditions so long as there Is no change
with regard TO the country's utilities.
There are observers who, bearing in
mind the many warning elements in