Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-02-24
REVERSED BY The PEG Il.
English Voters Call a HaItias to hu-
nieinal Ovxnership-

nicipal Ownership
The most dramatic Incident in, the
history OF municipal government oc-
CURED on Nov. /. when The greatest
city In the world reversed its policy
in regard to municipal ownership by
an overwhelming vote. For seYerai
years the Progressive as the munic-
ipal ownership party called itself. have
controlled the London county couh-
ell. which has charge OF most matters
affecting the city as n whole. ana oil
seventeen OF the twenty Eight borough
councils. which deal with local matters
one borough being nonpartisan. AFTER
the borough council election on Nov. j
this party was left in control OF Dut
two b0roughs. having elected with thelr
allies. the so called 'T.aborites. only
2p2 counclImen ont OF 1864 That II
was a popular and not class victory
IL shown by the fact that the Pro-
eressfycs'' were beaten worst In tne
boroughs where the heaviest vote was
east
Such a political upheaval must nave
an adequate cause, and the cause III
the case was the rapid Increase IN
taxes. and consequently rents. when
resulted from the tking over by the
city oil It's boroughs Of tramways, cleo
trlc lighting. waterworks, etc. the
building Of luxurious public baths ana
other expenditures Of public money out
Of all proportion 10 the results attain
cd. This lavishness Ind raised the Dor
ough tax rate in the boroughs control
led by the "Progressives' 40 per cent
above the rate In the other boroughs.
A few examples vt the losses incurred
may be OF interest.
In IsIIngton the street lighting costs
nearly three times as much per mile
Al in the boroughs lighted by private
conlpanles. In St Pancras the cost Is
nearly A. hixh. while in Woolwich IN
spite OF the high cost. the loss for the
current year ia expected to reach 500
600. In Bermondsey and SOUTHWARK
the councils have refused an OFFER from
a p,1yate company to light the streets
NJ half the cost under municipal man
aeeuent. The same condition exists
IN commercial lighting, for the Aerhteu
BREAD company found that the bills Tor
its depots in municipality lighted Dor
ouehs were 1i8 per cent higher than
the rate paid to private companies.
In shoreditch the palatial public
batbs built within stones throw OF
baths erected by local philanthropist'
ara now closed for lack OF custom,
though interest must still be paid on
the investment and the borough has
lost the taxes, previously paid By the
nroperty. And In Poplar each bath
taken In the public baths costs the tax
payers 20 cents IN addition to what
| The bather pays for his ticket.
In this borough cases were proved
in which outdoor relief was given to
families earning $500 year. equiva-
lent TO $3.50 In this country. while the
| fare In the workhouse was better IMAM
could be afforded By the average indie
pendent wage Garner.
Examples OF this sort could be multi
piled Indefinitely. and the same condi-
| lions exist I'm the work carried on by
the London county council, which, for
example, is paying 81 per cent more
! for inferior brickwork than the stand
ard contract prico for the best work.
! The failure OF Its municipal ferry Is
typical OF It's waste of public money.
and the county council election TO be
held next spring is expected to result
similarly TO the borough council cleo
tion.
The Pail Mall Gazette sums the sit
! uation mp by saying:
"You may cOnhscate capital, but you
1 cannot confscate that mighty force or
self interest which belongs to the great
generating station Of all human ac-
tivity. Municipal trading. conducted
By amateurs and financed out OF an
open and bottomIess pocket. can never
be more than a weak and false lmlta-
ton Of real commerce and Industry.
If the city council collected It's capital
by the issue Of prospectuses to the
public. who would invest a sovereign
on the faith OF It's promises or the rep
utation OF its directing commltteesl
And II the ratepayer Is wise he will
take care that his money does not find
It's way by compulsIon into specula-
lions where he most assuredly would
never place It by choice"