The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-06
SAYS CITIES MUST
. own ALL UTILITIES
Railroads WIN Ala Municipal Own.
ership--Lcsson for the People.

New York, Jan. 1.-THE govern
mont management of the railroads Is
going to be permanent. In the opinion
o. ex-City Chamberlain Henry Bruere,
who was the principal speaker at tho
closing session OF the annual con, ZEN
ton OF the intercollegiate Socialist So
cfety. With II, w. Laidlaw, Mr.. Bru-
ere addressed the convention on A"rhe
Ideal City" The matter of the own.
ershfp of the railroads came up when
Mr.. Rruere spoke OF the growing de-
mand of the American people to have
the public utilities administered with
maximum efficiency.
The taking over Of the railroads. -
said Mr. Bruere, will have a vast
influence on the development of city
governments. The American people
have for the first time dealt with eco
nomic facts In regard TO public utili-
ties. The railroads have been taken
over. and the people have assumed the
responsibility for their manaxem ant
No one believes for an instant that n
Ia an exped!ent due to the war. II In
an episode change which will be uer-
manent.
AT this time. when the railroads
occupy a most important place in the
life of the country, We are satisfied to
see the government take control Of
them. We realize that we will obtain
better and more effective service un-
der public administration than was
possible under the most eficient pri-
vate management"
The speaker continued to proph~cy
the coming public control OF enter
prises now considered exclusively mat
tiers for private concerns.
we think we should have muni-
ctpal ownership OF street railways"
he said. we have taken steps,
though not much hes ~ yet been &C.
compiished, in controlling the food
supply. Now, while we are scarcely
through with the food question, there
comes along the problem Of fuel that
we must attend to. Another problem
which the war has brought and Witch
the city OF the future will have to con-
slider will be the problem OF housing.
The city OF the future, believe. viii
have TO fnd some method OF dealing
comparatively with this question.
''The trouble with New York city ID
that # has outgrovn the limits of the
present legal authority to do things.
The city 10 bound hand ana foot by
laws which ought to be more liberal.
7 think we should have comptete
municipal home rule for New York
30 far a. 10 com patibIe with state and
national constitutions. The people
should determine on the policies the
city shall carry out. Then. there should
be some sort Of q board TO determine
the best method OF carrying out those
policies. And finally. there should be
body of men and women TO master the
technique OF municipal administrator
who Should be retained in ONCE.
The most promising thing In regard
TO the development of the city Is the
growing desire on the part OF citizens
to get things they want dons. I have
been greatly heertened In this respect
by the Farmers Alliance of the West.
Those fellows have made up their
what they want. with or without the
aid of the government.
For the future see city govern
ment free to do the things the corAnnu-
nifty needs ana wants: a government
responsive not alone to public opinion.
but to the sincere public will / see in
this city of the future community
composed OF persons who will zee that
things get done. and who will regard
the government as an instrument to
work with and not an outside thing"
H. w. Laidlaw. secretary OF the Inter-
collegiate Socialist society. who took
the place of Morris Hiliqutt. absent be-
cause of a bad cold. described the So
cialists' idea of an ideal city. He agreed
with Mr.. Brusre on many points. but
insisted that in the management of
public utilities the workers themselves
should be given voice. In this con-
nsction he took up conditions in the
city schools
There is very littie democracy in our
city schools" he said we and teach
ers with very little to say in regard to
the curriculum or the spirit OF the
schools. We @hnd numbers OF them
elected from the schools because they
do not happen to agree with the poll
ties of some member or other OF the
board of education"