Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-09
e. n. CRUTCHER's STRONG ARGU-
MENT AGAINST PATERNALISM.
AS TO MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.
CITY SHOULD CONTROL CERTAIN
PUBLIC UTILITIES.
In an Address to the Commercial
Club Mr.. Crutcher the
Growing Tendency to Bring All
Great Enterprises nde
Municipal Control.

The Commercial Club. at its meeting last
Mexican merchants. who will be in st.
Louis next week. to visit Kansas City. as
guests of the club.
The club Endorsed a movement started
by the board OF trade TO get better mail
facilities between Chicago and Kansas City.
f.. R. Crutcher read a paper on Munich
pan Ownership"
He took the position that municipal own
ership was entirely proper. and, indeed.
necessary. so far as related to certain pub
lie utilities. among which were streets and
parks, libraries. and common schools. public
markets and water works; but when TO
these were added, as in Paris and else
where, gas and electric lighting. always
stock yards and slaughter houses. savings
banks, public halls. theaters. art galleries,
pawnshops, lodging houses. universities for
higher education, and Industrial enterprises
of various kinds. we might well ponder
with great seriousness before reaching a
decision TO follow a questionable policy
Mr.. Crutcher argued that II was not sui.
fcient TO prove that a city could manage
street railways, lighting plants. aughte
houses, etc, and make a profit. while sup
plying citizens at the SANE me pT re tn; or p ,ess,
ciple were carried to its logical conclusion
and all important enterprises were monop-
olized by the city governments, all sLimnIus
aids to commerce would be removed:
Every movement toward CONTAMINATION
q menace to our nation" said Mr.. Crutcher.
Every assumption by the city OF rights
which have belonged to the CITIZEN, IN
creases the importance OF the o~n1cenoioer;
- ---~1-,- - sDharA nf tho citizen and
we are not prepared to encourage the
growth of an oficeholding class, to which
we are to look up, and which we are TO
blindly serve. President Eliot, of Harvard
college, has said: All critics of the work
ings Of the institutions Of the United States
during fifty years, whether friendly or nos
tile, whether foreign or native. agree that
municipal government has been the held
in which the least efficiency for good has
been exhibited, and the greatest positive
evils have been developed The greatest
izers of industrial enterprises. and the
greatest worker of reforms in legislation
and administration of law. have been other
thar public officials. Public officers should
tiers should not voluntarily expedite the
tendency to become servants by increased
Capitalization of industries Before wor-
rying over the matter Of increasing the
ments, let us strain every muscle to i'm
prove on the methods OF administration now
In vogue. Elevate the standard or
public officers; make it impossible for
men OF unworthy character to DOM
innate our council chambers; and
bring about a feeling of greater security
to the trusts already placed there, before
risking more. Under existing laws, abuses
in private enterprises of semi-public nature
are more easily remedied than those in the
public service. The serious problem of an
equitable levying of taxes and their sue
cessful collection should first be settled be-
fore adding further responsibilities. The
proper construction and care of streets,
sewers, and water works: the increase in
efficiency of fire, police and health depart
ments, and greater zeal in the inspection
Of public works, now managed by the
city. should be assured before going fur
ther.
up to this time there has been compar
atively little of experiment in municipal
ownership in our country, and 1t is in for
eign countries that the lesson may be learn
ed: but keep well in mind that wher on
the globe have property and well being been
more widely diffused nowhere are conditions
more favorable for happy life; and nowhere
IL found greater promise for the realization
of hopes. of wider spheres and more ex-
allied station for the individual citizen, than
in these United States. Paris has been
Wanted as the model city by the advocates
of GENERALIZATION otherwise municipal own
ership. and from her own budget we learn
that she has a public debt of 500. 900, 600,
and an annual expenditure of s66, 900. 000.'
Mr.. Crutcher described the evils of pater-
nalism in Paris and said we did not wish
such a state of things in this country.