Morning journal and courier., 1881-06-22

great cost. there being no end to the jobs" rings" etc, which are sure to come? The taxpayers of this city have enough in l their hands to help support certain class of politicians without creating new offices | and positions for more of them. The Water company as it is to-day is a credit and honor to the city, and when it ceases to be 1t will be time for the city to take charge of it. D. The Water Question. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER: The question is now before us: Shall the city buy, own and manage the waterworks now the property of the New Haven Water company In compliance with the request of several gentlemen my views on this ques- ton will be briefly stated.
 We must remember that an abundance of good water is not luxury, but an indis- pensable necessity. Unlike gas, and many other things we use. water has no substitute we can shut off the gas, but the safety, health and prosperity of the city are abso- lutely dependent on our supply of water. The Water company Is not benevolent iu- stitution organized for the purpose of fur nishing the people water, either wholly or partially, less than cost. On the contrary, it is and will be, managed for the purpose of making money for it's stockholders by selling the city and the people something that they
 
 Every self-supporting person must pay either directly or indirectly for such amount of water as he consumes. In the aggregate the people of New Haven must pay for every dollar spent upon the waterworEs, no matter whether the money is indirectly spent by the Water company or directly spent by the city. The question then is: Shall the people pay for their water directly by owning their own waterworks or, shall they pay for it i7,di- rectIy by allowing middleman, to wit, the Water company, to have the monopoly of selling them this necessary of life?
 The chief argument against the purchase of the waterworks by the city is that the ,,ity would not manage them as economically as they are and will be, managed by a com pany. The yearly expenses of the water works under municipal control would proba- ply be greater than they are at present, but this increased cost would be trifing com pared with the benefits derived therefrom.
 I have no doubt that our courts, public schools, parks, fire departments postoffices, ,Yc &c., would be managed with the yearly expenditure of fewer dollars if placed under the control of private companies. Why then not make such change? Why not give company the monopoly of keeping the schools and maintaining the fire department? The answer is obvious. Experience has exclusively shown that the people should have as direct control as possible over the essential requirements of intelligence, safety, health and life.
 For example, the value of direct popular control of our public schools cannot be com puted in money.
 Great public considerations require that no company should have their management, be- l cause the pecuniary interests of such com; pany would often be antagonistic to tKe highest and best interests of the public and this state of affairs would necessarily inhict injury upon the whole population ten-fold oreater than the benefits of a narrow, short sighted economy.
 What is true of the schools fire depart ment &c., &c., is equally true of our water supply. The water should be managed chis4 ly with reference to three things: "
 First-The healtbof the people bN nishing pure water as practicasIy be obtained
 second-The safsty. .sf propsFss by provid- ing an abundant, well distributed supply of water for extinguishing fires.
 Third-The promotion of the prosperity and growth of the city by insuring manufac- turers and citizens plenty of water with as low water tax as possible.
 Attainment of these objects in some re- spects will necessarily conflict with the pri- mary purpose of the officers of water com pany, viz, to make water stock worth as much as possible to it's holders.
 A board of public works could always be formed of public spirited, trustworthy citi- zens, who would manage as wisely and econ omicaly the schools are now conducted. It therefore app ars to me that the city should embrace the present opportunity to become the owner of it's own waterworks.
 J. P. PHILLIPS.
 In the above Dr. Phillips says about all that can fairly be said in favor of the pur- chase of the waterworks by the city, but he fails, nevertheless, to show how users of wa ter would gain any real benefit from the change.
 He says that an abundance of good water is not a luxury but an indispensable necessi- ty. This is very true. And the New Haven Water company, at time when the city was unwilling to undertake the work of providing au abundant water supply, conferred an im- mense benefit on the people of New Haven by providing such a supply.
 1t is true that the Water company is not & benevolent institution. It does not give away it's water. Neither would the city. And we have good reason to believe, from the ex- perience of other cities that water would be dearer here under the management of be city government than it is now under the management of the Water con- pany.
 Dr. Phillips seems to think that there is an advantage in paying money to the city for water over paying it to a water company. We see none, especially if the city is to be paid more than the company.
 He admits that the yearly expenses of the under municipal control would probably be greater than they are at present." It is certain that they would. What, then,
 abo
 His argument that the waterworks of city should be under direct popular control aas little force in the present case. The New Haven waterworks have never got away from popular control. The contract of the company with the city has at all times exer- ,ised just the control it was intended to ex- ,rcise 4 renewal of that contract the making of different one would still keep he company under popular control There s no danger thai the company will become independent or get so far away from the people that it cannot be reached. And it is 70 be remembered that the kind of popular control which Dr. Phillips would have exer- ,ised would simply be politicians control. A water ring" composed of politicians is quite IS objectionable anything we could possi- ply have in the way of water company
 To sum up, the people of New Haven have now that indispensable necessity" an abun- liant and cheap water supply. Under city 1t would not be more abundant ,r cheaper. There is no danger that the Water company will abuse its privileges and f it should it could be easily brought to .erms Who, therefore, would gain by change, except those who would hold office under the new management ED. COURIER.
 How to Drive a Hen.
 From the Mobile Register.l
 When woman has hen to drive into the coop she takes hold of her skirts vito both