The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-27
BY EACH MeGHEE.

Glasgow, Scotland, Sept. 4.-Amef- ica claims to be the most advanced na- m not as advanced as we are" So said d gentleman, . manufactures. with whom l was talking down tn Lanca- shire a few days ago. What he was ship and operation of public utilities in the Interest of the public. Practt- cally every town, large and small. m England, owns and operates its water works, gas and electric light plants, street railways, markets and public bath houses. have talked with pretty nearly every class of citizen. from tramps to Lord Mayors, of every school here, and I have so far failed to find one man who opposes municipal own- ership. They all alike agree, Consesv. atfves. Liberals, Social Democrats, that He utilities were nothing like as effi- cient In giving service to the public, that the charges for service were great CT, and that in every municipal own
 In this municipal ownership Idea. which has been spreading throughout Britain so rapidly. is one of the best possible Illustrations of the Briton's love of Independence, and his Altitude the turn progress" takes oyer here. Progress in Britain is constantly to- ward the good of the many. and to an American one of the most striking afraid of words, Why, in America. the affairs of one city. when anyone proposes municipal ownership of any public utility, people say it is social- ism.
 'Tt is socialism" he replied, some- what to my astonishment. for I knew he was strong opponent of the So- fhst mas eds s s.s sss ssss
 These people are an intensely prac- tical people. If a proposal for the public good Is sound in theory they at f,rst. they T keep on trying, and f of these municipal enterprises, not one but has paid. When 1t is not practi- cable to reduce prices to actual cost of operation. the earnings are used to Manchester last year paid t250,o0u into the city treasury. Birmingham's street railway paid something like e2O0,000. Glasgow's S25o.Oo0. and in nearly every were 1essened by some considerable amount from the same source. In each case. before paying anything into the city treasury, the street railway com- mittee put aside considerable sums for sinking funds. depreciation of plant. repairs and surplus. Taking Glasgow as fair sample, the street car com mittee paid interest on capital Gin TOuHu No10tftOs blhhln& Luuu, ernment, ss2,22o; depreciation fund (put aside for rebuilding tracks. and so forth, If necessary, s52s,1so: turned Sept pt o for 'as seners S reserve fund ssis1s m Fares on the cars in Glasgow are less than 1 cent a mile. and the average fare paid by each passenger in going C.ols2.) This Is about the standard of fares in all the towns. Under pri- vate ownership fares were double this, and all the people agree that the ser vice was less than half as good. No crowding Is allowed on the cars. and 1t Is . rare thing that one has to stand up. There are plenty of cars, and three men-motorman, conductor and troll ley-boy-on each car. When g crowd seeks to get on board. the horrible jam and confusion we Americans experi- ence Is avoided by having on the street corners two parallel rails between which people must line up. First come, first served; when all the seats in the car are taken, and a few accomm odated with standing room at easy and com fortable distances in the lower aisle. the overflow" must wait for the next car which generally is just behind. customed to our American ways, rushed up the other day to get into an empty car just arrived. The troll ley boy courteously but firmly direct back of the line. ana finally to take the next car. but there found a com fortable seat.
 The Glasgow street railway lines were operated by private company whose Franchise and lease expired Tn 1884. The City Council voted to take over the management. The operation by the private corporation was so uni- versally unpopular. owing to bad equip ment. poor service, and high fares, that there was no opposition except of course by the traction company. which fortunately for Glasgow had no special representatives on the City