Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1903-1919, May 15, 1907, Image 6

Daily capital journal., May 15, 1907, Image 6

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Newspaper Page TextDAILY CAPITAL JOURNAL, SALEM, OREGON WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1007. HOW LONDON WOKE UP "Shattering Defeat" For Munic ipal Ownership In the Metropolis. World's Comments of the Groat City's Press on tho Contest end Its Rosult Com plexlon of the County Council AN most Exactly Reversed Command ing Mandate Against Municipal En torprlsos and In Favor of Individual Liberty Larger Proportion of the Voters Exorcised tho Suffrage Than Ever Before In the City's History. Small Tradesmen, Clorks, the Middle Class Gonorally and tho Womon, Who Voted as Well as tho Men, All on tho Side of Munioipal Sanity London ers, Tired of Extravagance and the City's Competition With Prlvato En terprise, Doclnro Against Further "Rainbow Chasing." "London WnkcM Up" wns tho head lino choHun by tho Dully Graphic for ItH account of tho county council elec tion held early lu March. This elec tion Involved tho municipal ownership policy, under which the world'H me tropolis has suffered for eighteen years and resulted In u "shattering defeat" for that policy, as phrased by tbo Dally Nows, n Journal that has always stood for Us extension to tho greatest posslblo length. What wan n "shuttering dofeat" to tho News and other Journals that had fought for the contlnuuuco of tho wasteful ways of municipal ownership U described by tho Dally Graphic as "tho splendid victory which saves London from a great peril." "It has overthrown tho strongly Interested forces of radical socialism," continues tho Telegraph, nnd should "warn tho governmont that tho London olectors nro opposed to socialistic experiments." Tho Standard says: "A staggering nnd. -wo trust, n sobering blow has been struck at London socialism. For eighteen yours tho Socialists or Pro gressives (tho difference Is but one of name) hnvo used their dominating nil- public gatborlng n few days after thr electien: "I bellovo Individual enter prise Is the thing that will make this country great and that It will altogeth er knock out municipal enterprise. I believe the election wns n protest of Ihe electors against municipal trading' He said also that ho didn't believe It "good for any state or country that even tram cars should bo run by mu nicipal enterprise." This ought to bo specially Interesting to Frederick Howo and other American M. O. monomani acs who have based so many enthusi astic magazine articles on tho British municipal tram cars lu tho last year or to. Even the Dnlly News, Irrevocably committed to tho cuuso of municipal ownership, ndmlts that tho result was brought about by dissatisfaction with the existing order of things. In Its "explanation" this papor, after speak ing with great bitterness against tho municipal reformers, goes on to say that their victory was largely obtained through tho operation, among other things, of certain "potent forces," which Included "tho dread of social ism," tho heavy and constantly In creasing local taxation and the lntcnso desire of the electors for "a change." Tho Evening Nows, which is on tho other sldo of tho fence, declares, In commenting upon tho result, that "London, which took the lead In en couraging tho wastrels," a nlcknamo which tho advocates of municipal ownership earned by their wasteful conduct of public utilities, "In their policy of wild extravagance, which was having such a disastrous effect upon tho country baa como to her B0HH03 at last Her citizens have cried Tlnltt and wo hnvo no doubt that those who nro following In her wnko will tako tho word from her and halt also." Tho Standard tersely snys tho Pro gressives "woro beaten because thoy were found out," aud tho Dully Mall says "tho election saved London from bankruptcy." Tho Mall ndds that "after eighteen yenrs of footing exorbitant bills In curred by tho municipal operation of public utilities tho local taxpayer has got tired." Tho last straw was tho plan to electrify everything In London at public expense "aud drive prlvato IvSm ( smamt forger I JHfiJ THIS IM MARCH.) . . JtW I Vft -SBIl2BBlllllUBlBlttisaiBHHilBailllllllllllllllllllllBBHl .fS-BlllllllllllWV jfcWl'M-H formers, and, according to tho West minster Gazette, a strong Progressive organ, there was "a great rally of tho middle classes," tho backbone of tho British nation, .to tho Reformers' cause. Women Voted Against M. O. The women have tho right of suf-1 fragc In municipal matters in England, and tho papers of nil political faiths agree that the majority of tho women's voto was for Municipal Reform and against tho further following of tho fulso gods of municipal ownership. One of tho successful council candi dates lu commenting on tho awaken ing says, "Our organization was .ex cellent, and our canvassers, especially tho ladles, were beyond prnlse." Com menting upon tho vote of tho women, the Pnll Mnli Gazette Buys: "It is in teresting to note thut women's suffrago has not ussisted the more hysterical side. There was no distinction of sex in this election, and tho result Is wholly In favor of n cause which was conservative with a small 'c.'" That tho women who opposed tho Progressives did so mainly In order to rebuko tho socialistic tendencies which woro bolng developed under tho guiso of "municipal trading" is gener ally agreed. One voter of tho fair sex expressed herself very decidedly upon this point when sho deposited her bal lot All tho London papers In their election accounts mndo special note of tho unexpected nctlvlty of tho women on behalf of Municipal Reform, and tho illustrations in tho Daily Graphic in cluded sketches and photographs of women at tho polls and working among tho voters. Not a Faotlonal Victory. Tho Dally Graphic also publishes maps which show that tho victory was won on nolthcr sectional nor class lines. Great areas of tho city Inhabit ed almost exclusively by mlddlo class people and wago earners, formerly i Progressive In preference, voted solid-' ly for Municipal Reform this year. Commenting upon this, tho Telegraph sayB: , "The gains of tho Roform party wero distributed all over London, and this DOIT BOJY RAIL Advice Given by Australians to Friends About to Travel. The Railroads Thero Aro Owned and Operated by the Government, and Here Is a Truthful Account of the j Wretchod Way They Aro Run. When a new nrrlvnl lu Australia an nounces his intention of making n Jour ney ho Is saluted by a sort of para phrase of Punch's advice to those about to marry. Instead of saying "Don't" his friends all say "Don't go by rail." My first experience with tho Austra lian government railway took pluco In New South Wales, where the system is In better working order than elsewhere, and It was n journey from Sydney to Sprlngwood forty-seven miles. A freight train they call them good3 trains in Australia stuck In the tun nel ahead of us, though It had left tho Inst station throc-qunrtors of nn hour before wo arrived. Wo hod taken tho 5:117 train and were duo nt G:G3. We arrived at 7:t0, two hours and thirteen minutes for the trip of" no greater dis tance than Is traversed by thousands of commuters every day from New York. The lino Is double tracked all tho way up from Sydney, nnd ours wns n through train. An American road would hardly contain a tunnel grade so steep as to stall even tho heaviest of freight trains, especially on a suburban lino with a heavy pas senger tralllc, and an American dis patcher would hardly send out n freight trnln drawn by a locomotive which might not bo nblo to pull It up tho grndo directly ahead of a fast passen ger train. Tho rato for first class tickets Is nearly 5 cents per mile; for second class moro than 3 cents. When I sug gested traveling second class my friends told mo that I would bo crazy I to do so, and when I tried It I realized lint ihnv worn rlt.il-. Vtt. Ill Rnlto of goes to Bhow that the chango of opln-, theso h,Bh fnro Ul0 K0Vernmcnt much on wnicu una produced such a Btnr- of tho Umo fn8 to pny ONE SQUEEZE MORE. thorlty to pllo up the dobt of tho me tropolis to create a clnss of employee voters lutciVHted lu supporting their rulo and to bribe tho needy or thrift loss nt the expeiiHo of tho mercantile and ludUHtrlul population. I.vorybody WjtH Bomothlng to lose, whether It woro nn invested capital or only a market for tho Inltor of brain or bunds, Wilt menaced by tho policy of public corruption, At last tho promotem hnvo been detected nnd sent about their business," t JSvim tho most anient opponents of tho Progressives, as those who hnvo committed tlio grout city for nearly two decade to municipal ownership call themsolvesi-tho most hopefuUdvocaUn of u roturn to unhampered Individual effort nnd tho rejuidlutlou of hocIuIIbuj wero iiuuiKOtl ut tho ox tout of tholr vic tory. It nlmost exactly reversed tho effective forces lu tho government of Loudon. When elected In 100 1 tho council hnd elghty-throo Progressives, thirty-four Municipal Reformers nnd ouo Independent. Tim Municipal Re former now hnvo Bovonty-nlno sents, tho Progressives thirty-eight, and there Is ouo Independent member. This glvos tho Municipal Rttfonnerw a ma jority of forty, their voto In tho council being moro than two to ouo. Meaning of the Vlotory. "As to tho inoaulng of tho victory." says tho Dally Graphic, "thero can bo no question. Tho Usuo was plulnly dated and hotly argued. On tho ouo side Htood tho Progressives, with their socialistic schemes and their dishonest llnnuco. Ou tho other stood tho Re 'formers, who insisted thut tho business of thoso who tako part lu local govern ment Is to govern nnd not to tnulo nud thut tho prosperity of n great city can only bo secured by leaving H indus tries to private enterprise, subject to general control to prevent ahuscs. "Tho former policy bad been proved to Involve an over IncrvttBlug burden .upou tho local taxpayer, nud It wns hU revolt that secured, tho defeat of the (Progressives. Ho haa to puy for tho follies of hla rulers, and ho hus nhowu that ho mcuus to chock theso follies .where ho can. Tho Issue between bo clttllsm and Individual liberty hits bwu fairly fought out, and tho Socialist Imvo b IguetulnhMMly routed." Tho opinion, that tho victory voiced a, Ue-H wfttod popular oppotltlou to juiuuklpal owuwrafelp nod It rtulta feta beu ludonrtd unequivocally by JUMMta'a low taayor, enterprise from tho Held of electrical mipply nnd oporutlon." Incidentally this wuh to cost ?1.20,000,000 for Instal lation and other millions for extrava gant nnd wasteful oporutlon. How London Was Awakened. The Idea expressed lu tho London Dully Graphic's headllno that the election whb a genuluo "wnklng up" of I.oikIoii'h voters of nil grndes has been expressed In print many tlmos by Journalistic students of the sltuntiou since the event. Along this lino these facts nro poriluont. As a rule, tho percentage of English men who vote, especially at municipal elections, Is much tynaller than umoug Americans. Loss than -15 per cent of tho qunlUlud voters went to tho pollsut the previous election. This year", alarm ed by thp rising taxes and increasing municipal debt, caused by tho waste ful municipal operation of street curs, oloctrlc lighting aud gas plants, tho suffrage wns exercised by fully r5 per cent. It wns this Increased lnturoat lu munioipal affairs, this "waking up" of nil classes to tho true situation, that overthrow tho municipal Socialists, for, although they suffered n "shattering dofoat," tho Progressives polled some thousands moro votes than they did In 1001. It had boon claimed for many yours thut whenever n majority of all tho voters could bo roused to do their duty tho Progressives would bo wiped out, aud tho event has Justified ihe prophecy. Commenting on this phase of tho situation, tho London Argus says: "Tho elections Just eoucluded bear out tho prediction that heavy voting would spoil victory. Hitherto tho Pro gressives hnvo triumphed not because they wero lu tho majority, hut because of apathy on tho part of thoso who would not tako tbo trouble to vote, hut wero known to ho In tho main favora ble to tho cause that Anally triumphed. Never before has Loudon polled so heavily, -and this helps to explalu tho victory, nut also tboro wero many disillusioned taxpayers who have pre viously supported tho Progressive who this year voted for tho Municipal Reformers." Tholr ticket received 627, 000 votes, the Prot?reaSves 392,000, tho Socialists 4,500 and tho Independents 4,000, Tho awukontn?, according to all tho newspaper, both Progressive anil Mu nicipal Kform, was brought about by tllng reversal of tho old ordor of things is qulto general. Hitherto tho Progressives havo looked upon thp East End na peculiarly their own, hut disas ter overtook them In sovoral East End divisions, whllo lu one or two instances tho Reformers mndo a clear sweep." Tho Hinull tradesmen wero against tho Progressives In nearly every part of tho great city, and oven according to tho Progressiva Dally Nows it was the small tradesmen and tho clorks ns well as tho people of lolsuro among the normally nonvoting classes who "uttor ly swamped" tho advocates of munici pal socialism. Along this lino tho Times Bays: "It Is Instructive that tho Municipal Roform party should havo dono us well ns It has dono In South London, whoro tho Progressives could poso ns local bene factors, having put Into operation thero ono big municipal ownership enterprise, tho Southern trolley lines. Yot eight of tho South London boroughs went solid ly against tho 'wastrels.' " Tho Globe BayB In nlmllar vein: "It Is no uso protending thnt tho victory Is tho work of property owners or of nny particular class Ju tho community. Tho verdict Is tho verdict of Loudon as a whole, nnd in tho sweeping victory every class may claim a share." That tho newly elected councllmen understand very well that they nro ex pected by tho voters to cut loose from "municipal trading" ns soou and ns completely as posslblo Is shown by tholr views ns furnished for publication by thlrty-flvo of them In tho London Argus. "It behooves us," snys .one, "to do without flinching tho bidding of tho men nnd women who elected us. Theso men nud womon require us llrst to nul lify socialism In the council, to cut mu ulclpnl ownership losses and to stnrt tho process of healthy reconstruction with entbuslnstlc vigor." Another councilman elect refers to "the rovolt of tho oleetornto at tho high er assessments nnd local taxes aud the Justlflablo fear of further municipal ownership schomos, such as milk nnd food shops, bootmnklng, piano making, etc., nud tho ghastly fonr of tho elec tricity scheme." A certain Rrltlsh nldermnn, discuss ing tho situation before tho oleotlon, summed up his views nnd what has proved to bo tho views of Loudon's majority by referring to tho oft repeat ed cry of tho socialistic Progressives, whon charged with extrnvngnuco and bud business In carrying out tholr mu nicipal ownership schemes thut they are building for the futuro and for tho beuoflt of posterity, about as follows; "I don't object to building for the fu ture, but I don't feel called upon to mortgnge every comfort I and mlno ihould enjoy nnd are capable of enjoy ing for tho bonoflt of my children's children. I am tired of ralubow chns Jng, to borrow nn American phrase." Dangerous Openings For Demagogues. Arbitrary methods and poor or ex orbitant service Inevitably Invite mu nicipal ownership and give political aud editorial demagogues th open ings they aro always ou the lookout for. A company may thus become an accessory to tho crluio of Inflicting municipal ownership upon a city. Un fortunately, howovor, public spirit and good servleo do not always protect companies and communities from tho attacks of theso harpies. Wher It Would Work. The adoptton of tho principle of mu nicipal ownership and operation would bo a long stride toward socialism or communism, which, as an eminent bishop said, is a system that would btr orgtnltatloa than bd ever been P1""6 '? h- hut two places, pay 8V per cent on Its Investment. It Is thrifty, though, for llrst class pnssengers nro entitled to only 112 pounds of bnggngo carried free, whllo holders of regular second clnss tickets pay exco3S on everything over eighty-four pounds. My business In Sydney ended on Sat urday, and It would hnvo been con venient to leave for Melbourne that night. Rut this was Impossible stneo there Is no Saturday night train south between tho two cities and but ono train n day each way during tho week. As tho Saturday half holiday Is gen erally observed throughout Now South Woles and Vlctorlu, tho traveler be tween tho capitals of tho two states must lose that half day aud nil the next bocmiso of tho way In which tho government railway schedulo Is ar ranged. Ho can lenvo Sydney on Fri day night, but will reach his destina tion too loto for business on Saturday. If ho takes tho dilemma by tho other horn ho must loso tho day aud a half tn Syduoy, tako tho Sunday night train aud reach Molbourno about 1 o'clock Monday afternoon. Thero Is n Sntur day train from Molbourno to Sydnoy, but none on Sunday. And bear In mind thnt this servleo Is between tho two principal cities of Australia, each with a population of moro than half a mil Hon nnd only 570 miles apart. Tho season wos midwinter, being early August, and thero was no pro vision whatever for heating tho sleep ing cur. In Australian Bleeping cars tho men aro herded off In ono cud of tho car and tho women In tho other, with a screen across tho nlslo between. Even mnn nnd wlfo cannot havo a sec tion, but nro separated perhaps by tho entire length of tho car. Tho berth curtains fasten only nt tho top, and everybody who passes down tho nar row nlslo pulls them nlong with him, letting In tho light nnd disturbing tho occupant. It wns midnight whon this sort of thing ceased and sleep was pos sible. At 0 o'clock In the morulug It commenced again, nnd n few minutes nftor tho curtains wero pulled entirely back nnd everybody wns told to get up. Reforo I wns fully dressed tho train run Into tho station at Albury. on the boundnry between New South Wales nnd Vlctorlu. Those who wero not so nearly prepared for disembarka tion ns I was spoke and acted as If they were not happy. ' Rut why nil this hnsto and pother? Merely becnuso tho gnugo of the Now South Wules rnllway system Is four feet eight nud n half Inches nnd thnt of tho Victoria road Is flvo feet three Inches, nnd trnlns cannot bo run threugh: honco pnssongors are hauled out at 0 o'clock of midwinter morn-: lugs In an unheated car. 1 Tho breakfast in tho restaurant was tho wors meal I evor ato In a rail way station, which Is strong language. There is but ono dining car in tho whole of Australia. j It was as cold In tho Victoria train (is it had been on tho New South Wales sleeper. It was a smoking compartment, this, and brass cones, sunk polut downward through holes in tho floor of the car, had been provided by a thrifty government to servo as cuspidors. The wind came through them unchecked, of course. And all this on the crack train be tween tho two principal cltle3 of Aus tralia r-O. Arthur Williams. Why Don't You Ask u or What You Want Asjongas y buy cigars intheoldfeaw guess-work way of taking whatever fatS outtoyou-justsokM " quent disappointments. Why don't you ask for what you want? Don't SSwhich is the bestcigar-andd let anyone guess for you. l You cm be sure The better kinds of d are all distinguishable by the "Triangl mark of merit on the box. "Mangle A" brands are unmisto superior in all smoking qualities-in aro xluzluiw, bmuoin, uniiorm blend and absolute cleanness to cigars made the old way jd "Triangle A" brands are the onfycfgmn the new way. There are many "Triangle A" brandi of many different names, different blends, dif. f erent shapes and different prices to suitdifferat tastes. The "Triangle A" is a guarantee covers them allit distinguishes the suparkr product of our new scientific manufactory methods. No better proof of our claims could be offerrf than is found in the wonderfully improd quality of The New CREMO which represents the best quality that canbe produced and sold for five cents it prom mj claim we make for cigars sold undr tk "(Triangle A." Every box is extra-wrapped in glassino paper, saW to maintain perfect smoking condition and ckwSi until tee box is opened. ' AMERICAN CIGAR COMPANY Manufacturer HAw IWllirtWii1iiliimiHWil)iimiWfcWtiX Politicians Often Bad Business Men. It must be admitted that advocate Of municipal ownership have signally failed In demonstrating the correctness of tho theory. Too often the man wh cannot successfully run a peanut stand Is, through political manipulation, plac ed In charge of a business which re- imulvocally by bts orgftuumton than bad ever bn viIJ .Y - v w uul wo P1 qu're bralna to manag. aad bcm , tjMl4 t Jtttotifed tofeM by. tt Muiclpt! . ,J JT '-l.lirllj mult mwt bTfallwt FREE! FREE! FREE Ily this we mean that yon pay ono cent in cnh. SlnW voto n few minuteH of jour Unie to iv good causo and r this $4.00 George Washington Clock sssg M ft rowflrd. Thta dock If - ten indies Jiigb, w"1 very SzZi Ud in design. In the 5J Ebony finish. Impossible "" A perfect beauty, and " Our itoenu wfert Get two new yearly 5Ur,i The Capital Journal, tw subscription price, ;w "'i 4 or$I.OObyn, andonr tho money at our office. w 8omo present is 'J t not get two yvrly "Tj four for sir montl And it ier, fj friends to sign up tot ij- cftch. A sample doc c at Tho Journal oiler- j" get busy at once, Addr all orrc" lion Department of ItaJB H. BtUftfer, (Voat) UteaooUAB.