The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-10-12
CITY OF PROGRESS

aS OlIy OI DSlIOlI, IldN1nS made a
 success of municipal ownership of it's
 water works and electric light plant,
 is turning it's attention to it's trolley
 lines with the view of munieipa1izing
 them also. A committee of 50 citizens
 has been appointed by Mayor Brett
 meyer to consider ways and means of
 accomplishing this result. As is ire
 quently the case, however, not all the
 members Of the committee are in fla
 vor of n1unicipaiization, the principal
 reason for the difference of opinion, it
 is asserted, being that Mayor Brett
 meyer, who appointed them is not
 himself in sympathy with the movev
 ment. which was formulated by the
 late Mayor Pingree, and which has
 the support of a clear majority of the
 people of the beautiful western city
 Under law, an amendment to the
 constitution, recently passed by the
 legislature of Michigan, and adopted
 by it's people, any city in Michigan
 may acquire, at the option of it's cleo
 tors, any public service whatever,
 whether it be water, gas, electric light
 or trolley service. Water services have already been municipalized in practically every city of importance in
 the entire west. The movement to
 take electric light plants into public control has gone long way, but the determination to take the trolley lines out of private control is more recent. The process of removing the trolley lines from private control is very sim y,Jo Tho ic fD ho to the people. When the people vote in the affirmative an effort will be made to agree with the company as to price. If there is no agreement the property will be taken by power of eminent domain. This is no unusual power, but is function conferred upon the humblest corporations in both the East and the West, and by it's use they condemn and take the property of citizens whenever the oc- casion arises. The only change in exercised by the community as a whole, for the benefit of the commun- ity. Naturally the Detroit street railway managers are not contemplat- ing with equanimity the prospect of being deprived of their valuable mo- nopoly. They are fighting tooth and nail to stave off the evil day. The present plan, as it appears upon the lips of the pro-street railway politi- clans of Detroit, is that the city shall permit the lines to remain in private hands until 1924, and that the fare within tcity limits shall be three cents, the company to take the entire reve- nues. A second pro railroad proposal is that the city shall permit the com pany to operate the lines until 1924, be divided with the city upon basis to be determined. Neither of these two latter plans appear to be favored by a majority of the electors, who un- questionably prefer immediate munich pal ownership. Mayor Breitmeyer is said to lean toward the three cent fare plan. However excellent an ar engagement this may seem, to the citi- zen of a New England city in which privately managed trolley company appears like a mill stone permanently suspended about the neck of the peo- pie, Mayor Breitmeyer will not suc- ceeG, if it is forced through, in get ting erected to himself, by the people l of Detroit, a duplicate of the statue of Pingree, which stands in a green | square of park in the center of the city. bearing upon one of the panels of its pedestal the legend: He was the Idol of the People,
 It is little strange considering the l spirit and the ideals of the citizens of 1 this beautiful western city that the to it from New England | of skilled labor and sturdy American l stock is appallingly great. And this is an 1mmigra ton, by the way in which | many people once of Bridgeport have | llre ady shared.