APPENDIX. 81 



ply water to its inhabitants, since for the purpose it does not need to 

 invade the territory of other municipalities, as is often the case in 

 obtaining a water supply. Therefore, if the Legislature is wise and 

 not acting in behalf of special interests instead of the public welfare 

 it is solemnly bound to serve, it will not only permit Danvers to do 

 this, but enact a general law enabling all municipalities to do the same. 

 In Grand Ledge, Mich., the municipality does commercial lighting 

 with its public plant, and thereby already gets its own street lights at 

 a cost of only 1.8 cents a night for each lamp. 



Chicago now does electric lighting at a cost of 15 cents a lamp a night, 

 while Boston pays the exorbitant sum of 65 cents ! Boston paid the 

 last year for its electric lights the sum of $151,413.05, and for its gas 

 lighting $245,337.80. With municipal works the electric-light expen- 

 diture ought to be reduced at least two-thirds, or to something like 

 $50,000, and that for gas correspondingly. 



The great problem is how to reduce our municipal taxation. It is 

 not to reduce our expenditures, for our needs are increasing, and the 

 tendency of the day is to increase continually the functions of the mu- 

 nicipality and a fortunate tendency it is. But it is possible, by act- 

 ing in the direction indicated, to obtain an ample revenue to meet 

 these expenditures, wonderfully improving the city and at the same 

 time materially to decrease taxation. That way is to charge every 

 private interest now or hereafter occupying public property a rental 

 equivalent to the full value of the service thereof. A magnificent rev- 

 enue could undoubtedly be obtained from these sources in which the 

 public rights have been recklessly, but let us hope, not irretrievably, 

 thrown away by both state and city. What would be thought of a 

 proposition to give the use of Faneuil Hall Market to its occupants 

 rent free, or to allow private corporations or individuals to put up 

 their buildings on city land without compensation? Suppose the Com- 

 monwealth bad given away its Back Bay lands ! Yet, that is precisely 

 what we have done with our streets. We have allowed private inter- 

 ests to occupy our thoroughfares wherever possible, on the surface, 

 in the air above or in the ground below, with railways, electric light 

 and power, telegraph and telephone wires, gas pipes, heating pipes, 

 conduits, and Heaven knows what else, absolutely without compen- 

 sation, when just as easily as not the city might have obtained for the 

 privilege a splendid income in the shape of a large percentage of 

 the gross receipts of these corporations which are now enriched at 

 the expense of the public. Thereby taxation would be reduced, busi- 

 ness interests largely relieved from many burdens, and the general 

 welfare promoted. 



If our public-spirited men would only take the matter in hand this 

 can easily be accomplished; let our business men, for instance, discuss 



