The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1908-01-08

systems, their water-works, a munich.
pal theater, and a city dance hall.
Port Arthur owns the electric railway
In both towns, its own electric light
aid telephone systems, its water
works, and 500 acres OF valuable land
fringing Thunder Bay, which means
about one.half acre for every taxpayer
In the city. Fort William, In the
Kakabeka Falls, has source OF water
power that could suffice for a city as
large as Chicago.
The Twin Cities, as these small
but progressive communities are
styled, aim for perfection. They have
killed municipal politics and It's graft
and dishonesty. There are no party
lines therein, and a candidate who
seeks Office along party lines would de.
stroy the last vestige Of hope for sue.
cess. To. be elected to Office is an
honor and demonstration OF civic
confidence In ones honesty and in
tegrity. Mayors and aldermen serve
without compensation, and any tax.
payer may run for Office II lie appears
on certain day, announces his candi.
dacy, and is supported by one other
city voter. On election day all the
names appear on a single slip OF paper.
From the aldermanic candidates the
voter may select eight names There
Is no division by wards, or the like;
the whole town elects each representa-.
tive.
ITO serve the city we'll Is an adver.
tisement; to have served 1t unwisely
is 'misjudgment,' perhaps excusable;
to have served 1t wrongly Is o perpet-
ual discredit. Thus is the moral tone
uplifted. The newspapers of both
cities are owned by the municipalities
and are the preachers Of integrity and
honest ambition. They are neither
lurld nor purchasable But the citi.
zens have carried matters too far, says
Mr.. j. o. Curwood, Ia the November
"Reader." They have chosen splendid
citizens to superintend works Of which
they have absolutely no technical
nowledge. The man, rather than his
particular ability, has been magnitied.
This difficulty they will overcome,
doubtless. Their street.car service is
respectable, their buildings substan-
tlal, their streets serviceab,e, and
their theater modern In every way,
seating 800 people, and paying 8 per
cent on the investment. All plays are
under the censorship Of the city, and
some expect that the day will soon
dawn when the towns will be taxless,
while Others 20 further and declare
their belief In future which will see
the citizens receiving dividends!
"The net profit Of Port Arthur's
street railway during the last four
years equals one. fifth Of the total cost
OF the road From its beginning 1t
has netted the city total profit Of
800, $685. SO, and It's franchise is esti-
mated at $1,000, 0O0-for a nine. mile
railway. All that the Twin Cities
have accomplished was not won with.
out molestation from corporation
pirates, who foresaw wisely the pos
sibilities Of the future. Telephone
tolls are Sl2 year for residence
phones and 1924 year for commercial
service. These charges earn money
for the city, Fort Williams profits for
four years being $3,525, and Port Ar
thurs 1920. The writer attributes
the remarkable success Of these towns
to the direct and personal interest OF
their citizens, who feel that In every
public undertaking they are working
for themselves. Fort William is now
expanding $3.50, 900 on gravity system
OF water supply, which will he one Of
the finest and cheapest In America
when completed
I'm these remote little centers of
population, destined. as the writer
believes, to be the doorways OF Great.
er Canada, municipal ownership has
reached its greatest development on
the American continent, and has
wrestled with the problem OF "city.
owned cities" In manner unparallel.
ed In American history"