The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-02-17
RESEARCH NIGHT
Meeting of Young Mans
Club Last Night.
Problem of Right of Government
TO Control Natural Corpo-
rations Discussed.

About 20 of the membership of the
Young Mems Research Club, including
Secretary Coleman of the Y. NJ. c. A.
and one or two other recent arrivals
attended last nights regular meeting
at the residence of Rev. ID. p. and
Mrs. Birnie. The paper was by Pro-
lessor Dumas of the High School, and
was a thoughtful and interesting es-
say. The subject was governmental
control Of natural monOpolies. In
this category were enumerated tram
ways. telephones, lights, water-works
and telegraphs and railways. Profess
sor Dumas gave condensations from
the writings of Parsons and Ely. In
addition there were presented by the
reader many original and clear ideas
and deductions. Professor Dumas is
decidedly OF the conviction that the
natural monopolies should be owned
and managed by the State.
In the discussion following the read
ing of the paper there was evidenced a
difference of opinion showing that
much attention had been given the
topic or line of thought. Professor
Wood. Attorney de Bolt, Rev. ]. M.
Lewis. w. w. Chamberlain, w. f.
Love. Ed Bertner. DR.. High. ]. T.
CrawIey. Rev. Mr.. BiTnie, and others
took part in the informal debate. All
agreed to a certain extent with Profess
sor Dumas. Some were even more rad
ical for reform. Others. however, pre-
sented conservative views and facts.
Chief among the latter were the opin
ions that exclusive community control
would curb invention and genius would
hamper enterprise and build up great
and all powerful political machines.
Two of the speakers said that the great
success. or rather the stable greedi-
ness of the monopolies, trusts and ag
gregations of capital were materially
assisting the honest and conscientious
socialists. This is on the principle that
the enforcement of an odious law kills
it or that continuous oppression forces
ultimately a convulsion.
Two young Britishers present spoke
of the English control of the telegraph.
Professor Dumas told of underground
wires in European countries control
ing the telegraph. The English tele-
-
cheap service. but was an expense to
the Government. Professor Dumas
gave strong data in comparing the cost
of light and water under the two sys-
tens at issue. He also mentioned
that in Germany the passenger fare was
I cent mile and the railways made
so per cent dividends. Professor Wood
cited the satisfactory conduct of public
schools and hospitals as against pri-
vate competitors.
One of the conservative speakers de-
cIared that railway travel in Germany
was but little cheaper than in the Unit
ed States-comparative at any rate
and that the Government had no more
right TO squeeze 80 per cent from the
public than had a private corporation.
IT was further urged that change in
the United States would be gradual
and extremely slow. II was Mr.. de
Bolt who dwelt upon the fact that n
marked alteration would tend TO re-
move individuality from public life.
Along the political line there were
some outspOken expressions on cur
rent affairs in the States This came
about on account OF dialogue between
Revs. Birnie and Lewis on the proba-
bility of men of better character get
ting into Office under the proposed new
order Plat and Choate were named.
PIatt. IL was affirmed. received money
from the corporations and distributed
il iudiciousIy. An immediate response
was that MT. Choate also occasionally
received money from corporations. but
that he was licensed to do that. Sew
eraI times there were incidental men
tions of the Hawaiian trans.
Consideration of the subject was con
tinued over the refreshments served
on the lanai. where Mrs. BiTnie pre-
sided. At the club meeting next month
the paper will be on THE Single Tax"
by Edward Farmer Professor CTaw-
ley and Ed Towse were selected as a
committee to submit programs for
gatherings after the March meeting.