But Morris was requested to authorize a public funeral, in which fitting honors should be paid to the dead. Morris refused. He states that he (Morris) desired “a private and economical funeral.” He got it. The funeral was so economical and so private that neither the tongue of repute, identifying the grave from generation to generation, nor the more unerring evidence of shaft or vault guides the footsteps of those who come so late, so late! to repair the neglect of a hundred years. _How Private Ownership Breaks Down_ In the great city of New York there is a Subway, an underground street, which was opened at the expense of the taxpayers. Every dollar of the enormous expenditure came out of the pockets of the citizens of New York. After this Subway had been completed and paid for by the people, it was turned over to a private corporation to be used for private profit. It is unnecessary to say that such a stupendous piece of folly could never have been committed by wise men or honest men. On the face of it, the transaction reeks with rascality. Let us, however, contemplate actual results. The men to whom the property was given operate the Subway to make all the money that is possible out of the franchise. In doing so they have come into collision with their employees. The disagreement results in a strike. The experienced operators of the cars leave them. Inexperienced men take hold. The necessary consequence is danger to life and limb, which only the careless or reckless would incur. The thousands of people in New York, to whom the Subway is a daily necessity, are incommoded and injured. The entire city suffers because of the dispute between the corporation and its employees. I will not enter into the question as to who is to blame for the strike. It is sufficient to say that under private ownership of this public thoroughfare the strike does occur and all of its evil consequences naturally follow. No matter whether Belmont is right or wrong; no matter whether his employees are right or wrong, the effect upon the public is precisely the same. The public gets hurt. The public suffers and the public is helpless. Such a situation is surely sufficient to arouse thought and investigation. Ever since we have allowed private corporations to take charge of public utilities we have had the strike, the riot, the loss of money, the loss of life. As long as private ownership continues to exploit these things which belong to the public, we will continue to have the strike, the riot, loss of money and the loss of life. I say nothing about the amount of which the traveling public is robbed by these corporations which own the public utilities. I confine myself simply and solely to this thought, namely, that under private ownership the situation, which now confronts the traveling public of New York City, is liable to happen at any time and at any place throughout the Union where public franchises are used for selfish and private gain.