Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-03

Richmond ought 10 nolu on 10 Nti to'-
works Under no circumstances now
conceivable should she part with them.
That tho management Of the late
superintendent was costly and disgrace
fM cannot be denied; but 1t furnishes
no sufficient reason for Richmond's sur
render Of the works. Private corpora
lions. supervised by boards Of directors
composed Of thorough businessmen, have
not been exempt from such experiences
as ours Defalcations occur in all
classes Of business. Besides, our works
are now under thoroughly trusty and
capable management, and one that is
alert in reforming abuses
Talk about the Influence that our
gas-worlls men exercise in local poll
tics here, why it is as nothing TO the
influence that the lcssees might, and pro-
badly would, acquire over the City Coun-
eli.
Talk about the high wages that we
pay the laborors at the gas-works; we
would rather continue this than have
the lowest and most sorvile class of
labo-ers employed there TO make big
dividends a large part OF which we
doubt not would be sent north.
Talk about getting better gas from
private works than from city works,
why one has only TO read the northern
papers to see how universally denounced
IS the quality Of gas furnished by lessees
and private companies.
Furthermore. we get our gas at as
low a price as It is sold by gas COM
panies in cities situated about as Rich
mond is. and the works Pay our city
reasonable interest upon the amount OF
money invested therein.
At this very time in the city Of New
York, the popular Indignation against
the methods Of the gas companies there
runs 80 high that there IS a general de-
mand that the city shall establish and
operate its own plant Several OF the
most progressive cities of England and
Scotland that had parted with the
ownership OF their eas-works have now
bought their works back and are operat-
ing them upon municipal account ana
with much profit.
The tendency Of the times IS in favor
Of municipal ownership and management,
rather than capitalistic ownership or
anagemont, of gas and watcr-works.
Indeed, some cities have extended this
theory to include street railways, also,
as one of the natural monopolics. So IL
would not be progression, but retrogres-
sion, If Richmond should part wholly
or partly with the control Of her gas
or water-works, and should put these
great natural monopoles in the hands
of capltaIists-kuowng that though some
OF the shares OF stock might be held
here to-day. they might all be held in
the North or in Europe tomorrow.
We think any one who supposes that
by leasing out our gas-works We should
get the works out Of politics would be
vastly mistaken. The experience Of
many cities in this country IS that
some Of the big men in the gas COM
panies figure very prominently in City
Council politics. and that upon occasions
they have not hesitated'to debauch coun-
cilnen and other officials TO further
money-making schemes Of their own.
We have no reason to expect that Rich
mond would be exempt from this dam
ger. No matter how honorable and
amable might be the men into whose
hands the works might pass first it
might be expected, or, at least, feared
that mere. as elsewhere, dangerous men
would finally acquire control. Therefore,
we urge Richmond now as we nave al
ways done, TO hoid on to her gas-works.