Show A aji 1 EAN 1 0 y chicago mayor speaks at enthusiastic meet ing at cooper union on subject being agitated in new york new york april 7 fresh from his triumph in the recent municipal election edward E dunne maor elect of chicago tonight addressed a large meeting in cooper union under ehte auspices 0 the municipal ownership league ot new york city he told how he expected to carry out his pledges made in his recent campaign in chicago to attain municipal ownership of the benefits as he conceived them of city control of public utilities and closed with congratulations to the local league on being pioneers in the movement in new york his speech was enthusiastically received recent agitation in new york for municipal ownership added inderst to judge dunnes utterances judge graham phelps stokes vice president of the league presided judge dunne said in part men of the east we bring you tidings of great joy from ho men of tho west the exploitation of public property by private capital with its attendant greed extortion and corruption has had its day in american cities but that day Is about tt end next monday chicago starts upon hor mission of dislodging private capital from the control of our street car system she has succeeded in the operation of her water works system in paying some tor its equipment has lent ft from that department to the sewer department and is today giving cheaper water than any city in america and has a cash surplus of nearly she has so managed her electric light plant that she has reduced the cost of arc lamps from to about 54 for arc lamps per annum she is operating both departments as well as her police fire and educational department without scandal graft or corruption beside cheapening the cost of utilities furnished to tho public she will have the same record of success in relation to her street car system the citizens of chicago haye been I 1 educated up to the jact eliat a municipality can operate any ot tho public utilities with much greater satisfaction to the people than can tho same gitil atles be operated by private capitalists they have learned wherever a city in any portion of the civilized world has taken over the operation of it water works pas light or street railway system that in every case when fairly tried the cost of this utility to tho public has been reduced the wages of the men who operate them increased the day reduced and more efficient service rendered the only two serious objections raised during the recent struggle in chicago against public ownership 0 the public utilities are first that it would tend to build up a great political machine none of the friends of municipal ownership in chicago or elsewhere advocates the ownership and operation of any utility by mun unless in connection therewith there is a civil service law under which all applicants for position ir respective of politics will be treated exacts alike and under which just and reasonable tests will be applied 0 o public servants to ascertain their fitness to perform the work entailed upon them wo have such a law in the city of chicago under for several years past it was almost lm possible for any man to place a friend upon the police fire or water departments the only other serious objection urged in chicago was that the municipality had no money tharo is no force whatever in the objection the operation of utilities either by public or private persons Is a valuable private asset wo to raise all the money necessary to purchase an up to date street car system upon the certificates which are special or limited promises to pay out of the income from the system the operation of public utilities by municipalities Is no untried theory reever a municipality has taken beia public utility as to this corruption and bribery cease Is no motive for the corruption of an alderman in case of a utility operated by the public it good results havo been secured in the cities of europe and australia why cannot they be in the cities of new york and chicago and tho other cities of america themen or panties who charge the citizens ot chicago or of new york with being so inefficient incapable or dishonest as to bo to own and operate their own utilities frame an indictment against the citizens of these communities muni ties which our people will ans at the polls with a verdict of not guilty the movement in favor of municipal ownership of all public utilities has taken deep root among the intelligent people of this country it is no passing sentiment it is here to stay municipal ownership and operation ot these utilities and governmental ownership of railways telegraphic and cypress transportation Is a practical question upon which the people pass within a very short time and tho and the parties win ignore this sentiment must be prepared for a short lived career before the people we in chicago havo no fears as to the results of municipal ownership wo are confident that iho rill of the people can be carried into effect and that too without the imposition of a single dollars worth of axes and wo say to ou men of new york that can by the e of the aaroe baroe determination bring about municipal ownership in our city of any public utility that you nia desire furnished by the people of byoir city without an increase of taxation upon your citizens 1 I congratulate the municipal ownership association of new york and tho men who now mo upon this stage and in this audience upon bains pioneers in this movement in tho city of new york and I 1 hope as great a success will attend your efforts as the efforts of tho leopla bt chicago |