The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-05-18

been on both sides Of the street rail-
road fight. Until he had to fight
them. however, he may not have
realized the power of these public
street-using corporations and their
lob'bles. At any rate, he now saw
that to make a start toward the
single tax in Cleveland. he must first
strike at the power that corruptly
would prevent all proper assessment
| of land or anything else. With char
acteristic courage, therefore he
picked out the biggest of the lions in
the way-the street railroad combi-
! nation. He struck straight at it by
seeking to prevent it's use of certain
tracks under expired or expiring
franchises.
The war then was begun. And such
war was never seen before in
| municipality. Not only did all the
public franchise corporations in
| Cleveland combine against this SUI
perb champion Of public rights, but
! similar corporations elsewhere joined
in. Recognizing his great abilities
! and the danger to like privileges
| everywhere should once he succeed
! In Cleveland, the captains and
princes of privilege in Chicago and
| New York sent lieutenants and
money to work against him.
Opposition begets opposition
Johnson's power with the people
waxed as they perceived his purposes
and the gathering of his enemies
They elected q new council in practi-
cally full sympathy with him" Yet
| when the council tried to act, Powers
Of Privilege, controlling the state
government at ,Colun bus, changed
the city charter and the state laws
| When johnson adapted himself to
these changes, and stil1 pressed on,
those last defenses Of Privilege were
used, the courts. Defeated in what
seemed sure plans score, thrice a.
score Of times. johnson never would
admit defeat. He merely changed
! his plans and pushed on.
! He tried az mayor to start
municipality owned and operated
street railroad. by giving special
franchise grants and the renewal Of
expired grants from the old combina-
ton. The combination had the state
deprive the city of power. The
| mayor tried to establish a COMPETE
| tive, privately owned line on a three
cent, as against the com bination's
f1ve-cent fare. The new line had a
provision to cancel it's stock after
paying interest and dividends on it's
obligations. The road was started
/ 81 =;
the courts and combination of
banks, the old line harried, con-
fused and struggled, but all to no
avail. -F
| At last, it seemed as if Cleveland's
mayor had the powerful monopoly in
a grip that it could not break, try as
it would. Indeed, the monopoly hung
out a white flag. 1t offered to sell
out to the three-cent fare road. An
armstice was arranged while the
terms of transfer were slowly worked
over. At last q basis was reached
and the Tom johnson three-cent-fa e
froad took over Nthe lines In Cleve-
land.
! 1t looked now as if he was about
to achieve municipal ownership and
operation; and that he had thus
cleared away the, strongest foe to a
true assessment "and the first steps
tax. 7
But what had looked like the sur
rended of the street railroad COM
bination proved to be treachery. For
when Johnson's people had taken
full charge Of the old lines it was
only to find that just before the
transfer the old management had
made a secret pledge to the labor
unions to increase the wages of the
men operating the lines. Johnson
had always employed the best labor
and paid the highest wages in the
lines owned and operated by him;
this, made in secret, and not comml-
nicated to him until after the re-
sponsibility Of operation had fallen
on him, was impossible. He could
not make this wage raise and meet
the financial conditions of the trans
fer. He told the men so. They
struck.
The Powers then closed in on
johnson, hitting him publicly and
privately in every way Il man could
be struck. They assailed his credit,
with cold cynicism notifying him that
they would break him financially.
He smiled and gave his answer in
one word: Break" And at last
they did break him. They went fur
Their. They spared not even his good
name. They resorted to every think
able device to crush him. Yet still
he bore up. The strain was terrible,
| however. Iron that he was, it began
to show on him. His great figure
began to shrink. A man came out of
a doorway as the mayor was about
to enter his motor car and said:
Hold g. moment. T have bet with
a friend who don't believe it's YOU"
A second man approached and ex-
| claimed in incredulous surprise:
Good God! took his bet. I could
not believe it was you. You're all
shrunk up to nothing!' :.
| johnson n,ni1od ont into hia 1nOt ~