The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-11-25
And Cleveland is Center of
the Latest Three Cent
Fight.
CITY oBUILO LIGHTING PLANT
Not Necessarily Socialist by
Favoring Municipal
Ownership.
Mayor-elect Says City Will
Take up Water Filtra-
tion Question.

'tHl lIBHl.
What does that mean?
Think Of "three-cent fare" and
you have the answer.
Newton ID. Baker, apostle of the
late Tom J.. Johnson. il the standard
bearer of the "three-cent light" slo-
gan just as johnson was the leader
in the finally successful war for
cheap street car fares in this city.
Baker, who was recently elected
| mayor by the greatest plurality ever
given candidate in this city. is to-
day one of the most interesting fig
ures in municipal politics.
He is a thin wiry little man. with
bright eyes and a soft voice. As the
city's legal expert he advised his
close friend and teacher johnson
throughout the low-fare fight.
Though he is properly called Tom
Johnson's political heir. Baker is a
man of larger mental capacity, orig
inality and lighting courage and Cleve-
land today regards him as a force in
many ways equal to that of John
son.
In a special interview Baker out
lined his public service intentions In
these words Efficiency and honesty
in the administration of the ordinary
affairs of the city; justice in the re-
lations between public service corpo-
rations and citizens"
Said he Those were the city gov
ernment Ideal of Mr.. johnson.
shall strive to perpetuate them. You
might say that the general idea is an
ideal municipality. Mr.. johnson
dreamed and fought for Cleveland as
city set upon a high hill. He
meant that Cleveland should provide
| for its citizens, not merely a place
in which to workSd7d live, =, hut O.
place for rich enjoyment OF Iife's
comforts. general health, equal op-
portunities. free education and gem
eral prosperity. His three-cent fare
fight was merely the phase of a gem
eral ideal"
The platform upon which Baker
was elected pledged his administra-
tion to again take up the fight for
honest government where johnson
left off Bakers first move will be
10 take up a fight for three cent
light" through the erection OF q
municipal electric light plant
THE people as a whole are pro-
gressive in spirit" said Baker. "and
1t is not to them that arguments
must be made. The fight comes from
the other side. Our working out OF
the plan for n municipal lighting
plant has just begun. A study must
be made of the cost of production and
the business for the city run on an
honest, efficient basis. What we ex-
pect to accomplish through the
municipal plant is to furnish lights
for the homes OF the rich and poor
alike at a minimum cost OF produce
ton, with a maximum efficiently at q
minimum price to the consumer.
Then the city can compete with the
present monopoly and high prices"
1t was suggested to Baker that per-
sons outside of Cleveland believed
the city was working out it's prob
lens in a Sociallstic way, but without
regard to party.
Not at ALL" replied the mayor
elect. Socialists are in favor OF
municipal ownership, but everyone
that favors municipal ownership is
not n Socialist. Every city has it's
problems to solve in its own way We
will take up the subject of water
filtration in Cleveland along the same
lines that the lighting question must
be handled.
IF 1t Is shown that the water
reaching the city's residents is inn
pure then we must find a way OF fi-
tration and again dealing honestly.
with the greatest efficiency and at a
minimum cost"
When Johnson ran for mayor the
last time and met defeat, Baker was
the only Democrat on the ticket
elected It Is said he wished to re-
sign his post as city solicitor, but his
chief insisted that he remain in Of
fee.
Bakers admiration for Johnson
and his principles Is unbounded. He
has appointed former Johnson lieu
tenants to office in his city cabinet
and the Johnson ideals will rule the
city hall
Tom l.. Johnson was the great
est executive any city in America ever
had" said Baker. II do not regard
my election as personal victory.
1t was a complete endorsement. the
last word of the people of Cleveland
on Johnson's life and work"