The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-11-26
Wales Furnishes Fine Argument
Favorin6 Municipal Ownership

nothing to do so and that we would
make money all the while we were
buying them Now. if that can be
do not see it yet. Can you help me
to see how it can be accomplished"
City Owns Workers Homes
had just learned that afternoon
that the city had fifty-one dwelling
houses which belonged to the city it.
self, so I asked my auestioner if this
were true. ~ 3d.. .-.;
He replied that the city owned the
houses.
How much did they cost the city,"
I asked. i
He gave a long string of figures.
l said, Did you pay this sum?''
"No." said he. mot I but the city,
did you pay any portion of this
sum-"
NO." said he. "but the city paid it
ALL"
Did it get any Of the money from
you?"
mo, it borrowed the money to build
them with.''
'Will you be called on to pay any
pOIlAOH OF the loan
NO." he said. "the loan will be
paid from the rents of the houses"
Are the houses as good as priva-
tely owned houses renting at the same
rate?'
privately owned houses much in
ferior to the city owned ones, rent
for five shillings a month more"
"Can the city rent all it's houses?"
There are seven applications on
file for every house the city owns
Plenty of People Willing to Save
Then there are plenty Of people
willing to save five shillings month
and live in better houses while doing
SOP"
'Why yes, of course there are," was
he reply.
How does the city fix the rent?"
I asked.
1T takes the interest charges on
the loan, to this it adds a proportion
ate share Of the principle sum of a
sinking fund to retire the loan as it
falls due and charges rents enough
to cover these requirements"
Then, when the last of the bonds
are paid, not shilling of any funds
drawn by the city from any other
source will have been expended. The
tenants will have paid for the houses
the city will own them and while the
city has paid nothing the tenants will
have been saving five shillings a
month for themselves and living in
better houses all the while they were
paying OUT
II see." he said.
"And when the houses are paid for,
the only charge for homes thereafter
will need to be the cost of mainte-
nance and nothing more''
Eyes, that's ALL" he answered.
Good bargain?" I followed up.
II should say so," he replied.
"A good thing to do to every other
monopoly" asked. 49,.
1T would be good sense to get sem
ALL" he said.
.. Ten Applicants for Each House.
The other day I dropped off of a
train when coming through the place
and got a snapshot of row of these
city owned dwellings. They outrank
by far the private houses of the same
or anything like the same rents and
IAAoA oc1CA AouSe udS us OWN SdrQen
at the rear.
AS I was getting in range for a pic
ture Hello. Comrade," came from
half a dozen voices and these Com
rades of mine dwelling in the city
houses, ranged themselves at their
doorways that might catch them in
my photograph.
"How do you like these city
houses?" I asked.
''Well. said one of them, they are
the best yet"
Then he pointed proudly to a long
line Of new ones under construction
saying 'These are city houses, too.
There are now ten applicants for
each house and the more we build the
more demand for more and more"