Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-11-10
MUNICIPAL MIRAGE.
Public Ownership Success
Fleeing Vision.

Possible the So Called "Rslief Of the
Rates.
1t is a somewhat puzzling problem
why certain persons in the bureau of
manufactures at Washington seem de
! lighted to pick out from the consular
reports so many of the uncritical and
optimistic statements furnished up by
special pleading in regard to the oper-
alton of street railways in Europe by
public officials. Report No. 3,276 of
Sept. IL last contained no less than
three reports from England on street
railway operation, besides general
article on the management of public
utilities in Germany. To the uninform-
ed reader it might appear from the
reading of these reports that they
showed a certain degree of success on
the part of the municipal officials who
do their own bookkeeping and draw
their own modest deductions as to
what they have accomplished The
slightest analysis, however, puts all
these cases of municipal operation in
the list of financial or economic fail
ures, and there ought to be some one
in the department of state or the bu-
reau of manufactures who would Ell
Their take out the partisan color in
these documents or insist that the con-
suls should reveal the truth.
Even with the best light put on
these reports it is naiveiy admitted
that the Belfast system had broken
down because of the unfortunate linn
itations imposed by the act of parlia-
ment in which the city was empower
ed to purchase and operate the system
that it should be self supporting and
that no money should be taken for
tramway purposes from any other
fund The receipts did not meet ex-
penses, and it became necessary to
raise fares all along the line. The COM
panies in Huddersfield and Manchester
made a somewhat better showing upon
the face of the figures, but examina-
ton showed that their financial sue
cess was due to rates of wages which
would not be tolerated In this country.
In Huddersfield 1t Is stated that ''the
430 regular employees receive a week
ly wage of 1929" This would work
out at $500 per week per employee.
This would amount to $270.40 per
capita per year and would require an
expenditure of $116,328. In the United
States as far back as the census report
of 1902 16,33S motormen in cities of
100000 and over received total wages
of $10509, 456. This works out at $64
per man, or about 240 per cent ofSthe
average wages paid all employees in
Huddersfield If the scientific sound
ness of dividing the average number
of employees by the amount paid Is
called in question we have the assur-
ance of the census report that the
median rate for all motormen in the
United States was 50 to $2.04 per day.
The significant fact, from a finan-
cial point of view, is that If wages in
Huddersfield had been raised to the
average wages of large cities in this
country the surplus Of 5000, 269 above
operating cost would have been more
than half wiped out and the demands
for interest, redemption of debt and
depreciation account could not have
been met Even as it was, with wages
ground down to the starvation mini
num- there was surplus after
charges and allowances of $31,700,
which, with fine irony, is applied I'M
der the English system ito the relief
of the general rates" Evidently the
motormen who are receiving the
princely wages Of 70 cents per day are
doing their share toward the relief
of the general rates." but may get
part of the money back if they become
charges on he city
If the advocate of municipal opera
tion takes refuge behind the claim that
conditions are dffferent in England
from those in this country, the claim
may be freely admitted. But in max.
ing such claim he abandons his case.
The sole object in presenting alluring
pictures of low fares and apparent sur
plus earnings ON the English lines is to
convince the American public that SIM
liar results could be obtained here. If
the comparison contains no such sug-
gestiOn, then it has no practical bear
ing on the effort TO secure municipal
operation in this country and is of the
same academic interest as an essay on
caravan routes in Mesopotamia in the
time Of Belshazzar. 1t is quite true
that conditions in England differ radi-
cally from those in this country and
that many Of the features of English
municipal operation would not be toll
Grated for enc moment by the Ameri-
can public. The fares graded accord
ing TO distance make short rides cheap,
but long ones dear. They tend to con-
gest the population in the tenement
districts, while our system Of a uni
form fare tends to development of sub
urban property and the distribution of
the working masses where they can
find air and sunlight.
Even in such a matter as claims for
injuries the Huddersfeld traction sys-
| tenn protects itself behind an insurance