Gilpin observer., 1910-11-17
ONE TOWN
i HELPS
WHERE GERMAN CITIES LEAD
Nest Of Then, Are Models Of EffieIen-
cy In Matter Of Serving Public
Welfare.

We Americans can profit by study.
Ing German street railway practise
and. indeed, all matters In connection
with public welfare In these German
cities. 1t greatly interested me to
find that while all the cities on the
'ownr Rhine had municipal ownership
and operation Of their street railways.
In Strassburg the railways are oper-
ated by c company. About the only
-.oL.ceaD.e difference was that the
Strassburg cars had advertising pla-
cards inside. which was not the case
with any of the city-owned cars.
Strassburg. It will be remembered also,
is in former French territory. and 1t is
an interesting speculation whether the
franchise plan in Strassburg repre-
sents the prevalence of French ideas
and systems instead of German.
1t is exceedingly interesting. also. to
-:call that these cities along the lower
Rhine were prominent among the
places where in the middle ages the
ideas that lie at the basis OF modern
democratic society first fiourlshed. It
was these cities. growing prosperous
from the traffic Of the Rhine, that first
became strong enough to Withstand
the ''robber barons" in their castles.
and finally drove them from their
strongholds.
Far back. in the so-called wark ages.
the people of these cities learned to
stand together for protection against
| common enemies. They taught some
Of the first lessons in democracy to
the world, and there are. believe.
still other lessons that we can learn
from them with profit.
l do not care to draw too close a
parallel between the "robber barons'
who were overthrown by these free
cities of the Rhine and the "robber
barons" to whom we In America have
bartered the right to control the
| streets of our cities. know that, Just
as In the dark ages many men would
have acted exactly like the "robber
barons' of the Rhine II they had had
days many of US would like to take
the place Of our street railway bar
ons." and in their places would do
likewise. AS some wise man said.
Human nature is pretty much Of a
muchness."
The parallel that 1t does seem worth
while to draw is the parallel between
what these German cities did centu.
ries ago in defending themselves from
the exfortion practised by the robber
barons of the middle ages and the ex
ample they are setting to the world
today In showing how the public vel
fare may be promoted by edicient mu.
nicipal action, In proving by their ex
perience that II is not necessary tc
pay tribute to "robber barcns" of the
present day to secure a high degree
Of public welfare.
AS we sail along the Rhine today we
see where alongside some OF the Old
cities their baronial occupants ere :ted
chapels to salve their consciences and
insure their souls against future con
fagrations: but these did not avail tc
save them and their strongholds from
passing away with the evolution of q
new civilization. On the other hand
some of these old-time barons also un
derwent process OF evolution. In
stead of marauders. they became pub
lie protectors. and earned their livins
by waging warfare against common
enemies.
l do not think our modern "barons'
can thwart the process of evolution
by gifts of libraries and picture CALLER
les. They may. however. by trans
forming their methods. gain salvation
like those old-time barons. who sur
vived by becoming leaders In real pub
lie service.-Editorial Correspondence
Engineering World.