The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-01-27
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP vs.. PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF MUNICIPAL
FRANCHISES

however, that their value vorld be
much more than "a. 900 . ysAr. /!
the town did not take adva otage OF
its option to purchase the plant, the q
At the expiration OF the term Of its
contract to take water from the com
pany the town would have paid only
tor public uses Of water to said com
pany the sum Of $65 500. and still
would not own its plant.
The town of Wilson showed great
wisdom and foresight in taking steps
to own and operate its water, light
and sewerage systems, and At the ex-
piration of twenty years it will own
them entirely, whereas. the town of
Tarboro will, after the lapse of thir-
ty year,, be without a water system,
and will have also paid to q private
corporation $65. 800 for supplying the
town with water.
Wilson's complete water, light. and
sewerage system will cost $92 600
and after the expiration Of twenty
years the town will own them. Tar
boro would have to pay to . private
company far more than the original
cost OF its water plant, and still would
not own it.
The proper course for the Tarboro
Commissioners to have pursued at
the outset, would have been for the
town to built it's own system, and
operate it for the benefit of the pub
lie. Corporations operating these
public monopolies do so for their
own private gain. 1t is grave
mistake to allow private corporations
to exercise such public functions.
They are too prone to take advan-
tage OF their power and opportunity
to oppress the people.
Corruption often creeps in when
private corporations own these fran
chises. They often actually enter
politics, nominate their candidates,
elect them and thereby control the
affairs of cities and towns.
This should not be SO, aud the peo-
pie have the remedy in their own
hands if they would but apply it.
The city of Glasgow, Scotland, is
considered one of the best governed
cities of the world. 1t owns and op-
perates its gas, light, water and rail-
way systems, and the people get the
benefit of fair and reasonable rate.
For instance, James Bell, in the
Twentieth Century says: "The Glas-
gov corporation has long been in
the field as manufacturer of gas.
In 1869 it took possession of the gas
plant, which were owned by two pri-
vate companies, and commenced the
sale and production of gas. The
city furnishes % candle power gas at
the rate of 60 cents per 1000 cubic
feet. The street railway at Glasgow,
up to January 30, 1894, were opera
ted by private company.
Six years ago the council endeav-
ored to impose certain conditions on
this company. such as regulating
the fare and limiting the hours OF
wo.k for the employees. The compa-
ny refused to make any concessions,
and as a result of the unwillingness
to act in a fair and generous manner
toward the public and laboring class
es the council decided not to renew
their charter, but to take possession
of the street railway property itself
and operate it. 1t put on three hun
dred new cars, three thousand horses
and seventeen hundred men. The
city introduced one cent fare, hith-
erto unknown, and made four cents
the maximum. The experiment of
operating the street railways has
proved success. The city has
made money and at the same time
improved the plant and reduced the
fares. It now carries 600, 900 a week
for one cent; 300,0 900 for two cent
fares; 95 900 for three cent fares and
20, 900 for four cent fares.
The next step will Ee to abolish all
fares above two cents.'
If the city of Glasgow can operate
it's public utilities with so much sue
cess and satisfaction, then all other
cities can do likewise.
The "Outlook" for November, in
a leading article. treats at some
length, of the action of the aldermen
of Philadelphia in allowing q private
corporation to lease and operate the
city's gas plant. 1t says that in
spite of the indignant protests of thu
people the aldermen granted the
lease to the private monopoly, and
the city is to be heavily taxed for the
use of gas.
In speaking of the action of tn,
city council, the "Outlook'' says:
$50 shameless was their haste t,
carry out the company's wishes tina
even the Ledger, which favored tn
lease, was forced to admit that tn
councils were "creating and foster
ing the suspicion in the public mint
that a majority of its members cal
be Influenced by motives which viii
not admit of convincing explanation
and which cannot be effectively de
Tended" The Democratic platform
had condemned the lease, yet IN on
council a Democratic machine poll
tician was the leader of the council
men who voted for the ordinence
Allegiance to party counted as littl
as allegiance to constituents. Whel
the vote came in the common coun
Gil, it was 7S to 50 in favor of tn
: lease, and when it came in the "Se
, lect' Council, it was 25 to 13. Th
Mayor, as was anticipated by the re
, formers, signed the lease, pleadin
the unwillingness of the councils t
improve the clty's plant as q reaso
! for aiding tho councils in handin
, the plant over to the private CON
l pany to which they we're so inexpli'
ably friendly. He further declare
. that he would not sign the lease wei
it not for the provision that at tt
: end of ten years tha city might cal
: eel it. This prov-sron at first SCENE
. practically worthless, since cit
government weak enough to surrel
Q der possession of the works woul
= not be likely in ten years to becon
/ strong enough to expel the gre'