The Washington herald., 1914-07-18
Bright Light on Municipal Ownership.

=
Municipal ownership of public utilities is making
a sad showing these days. Everywhere it seems to
be suffering from depression possibly psychological
or, we may expect to be told, manufactured to
injure the prospects Of success of the Crosser
bill providing for municipal ownership of the
street railways of the Capital of the United States
Following closely reports from Seattle telling
of financial loss from municipal operation of the
street cars come adyices from three Cahadian cities,
which have been proudly pointed to by the beetle
eyed advocates of the CEosser bill showing dismal
failure in two and most extraordinary Success"
in the third. Success consisting of deficit as yet
not estimated and service so precarious that many
people would rather walk to and fro"
Our municipal ownership crusaders pose with
expanded wastcoats and fonde unctuousy the theory
that they are the peoples friends, the abnegating
champions of the wage Garner against the bond
holder; so it may be- they will not hastily reject the
evidence of the failure of municipal ownership in
Canada, for it is published in and vouched for by
the Union Labor Advocate, official organ of the
Washington Building Trades Council affiliated with
the building trades department of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor.
This reliable publication, it appears sought in
formation from its official correspondents concern
ing the operation of municipal ownership in Canada,
being discussed in Washington. Their responses
appear in the current issue of the Union Labor Ad-
vocate Coming from source which cannot be
accused of prejudice against municipal ownership
they are worthy of careful consideration by the
people of Washington, who have heard so much in
favor of the system from its advocates. p.
From Edmonton, Alberta, a. Hanning secretary"
sends the following astonishing summary of the situ
alton:
1t is an utter failure in Edmonton. The street
system is the poorest of FIVE cities have lived in
Toronto, Vancouver, Portland, Winnipeg, and Ed
monton-and the fares are equal to the highest
straight cents.
The reason for the failyre of municipal owner
ship to compete compare with private owner
ship in this city is because the spols system entirely
eliminates all chances of getting competent men to
run it. Every year the administration changes, and
with it the entire staff goes too Always incompe
tent men are given the Jobs their ability lying in their
power to get votes.
It is true they have lost 100000 since its incep
ton, and it looks though they will lose more.
The city the electric light system and sells the
street car service power at cents per kilo robbng
Peter to pay Paul Residents pay as much as cents
per kilo
The city sells its railway the necessary power at
onefourth the it charges the residents and the
road loses $4,000
81. Jones'" of Lethbridge Alberta, says:
Replying to your letter of June e6, re municipal
ownership of street railways. Our street have
undoubtedly, not been success, mainly owing to the
fact that city is not big enough for street car
system and the figured loss stated in your letter is
correct But the of Lethbridge does
not prove that municipal ownership is not success.
Neither does It prove the contrary.
We now running half dozen cars, controlled
by each car, and it's punk" service at
that
Personally. am no longer believer in munich
Mr.. Jones' statement is concise but not especi-1
ally Illuminating. Municipal ownership has not been
success, the service is punk" and that ends il.
But R. c. Moore, of Saskatoon, who says that "one
thing you can be assured of is that municipal
ship is success in Saskatoon, and all through the
west" throws some real light the situation Here
are some of his most illuminating assertions:
Il not to the exact deficit last year
(the first year of operation) but positive it was
not as high as the figures you quote"
This thing l am assured Of that if things
had kept going as they when the railway was
first commenced there would today be good balance
on the right side"
Further, as regards the railway there is strong
feeling that good deal of the cause for the street
railway trouble lies with the management, but this
of course, l cannot say
The officials are experiencing great deal of
trouble with long hill leading to a suburb known
Nutana and also with the bridge leading to it over
which they cannot the new double-truck cars |
thus causing transfer and many people would rather
walk to and fro than bother with transfer or risk
the danger of accident on the hill"
Mr.. Moore deserves credit for making out as good
a case as any truthful man could for municipal
ownership, and, in fact, all three of the reports
oetray reluctance to condemn Yet all tell the same
tale OF failure due to incompetent management by
the creatures of politics and punk" service.
Not few members of Congress are advocating
the Crosser bill in the hope that it will provide
places for their constituents and yet the people of
Edmonton and Saskatoon think they know something
about what politics can do to a street railway
system. 4