The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-21

| Chairman Dimmick Participate.
Municipal ownership of Public IT'LL
| tiles" was discussed last night at the
regular meeting of the Economic
league, held in the board of trade
| rooms. Attorneys S. b.. Price and
Walter Liddell Hill who had been Sc
lected to lead in the discussion, made
extended addresses. Bishop M. j. Ho-
ban, Rev. Rogers Israel. ID. D., and
Principal Joslin, OF the high school,
also participated at the invitation of
the chairman, j. Benz. Dmmick. There
was a very representative gathering of
Scranton's citizens comprising the au-
dtors.
Mr.. Price discussed the subject from
both sides as q student rather than Il
debater He, however indicated that
he was not an unqualified believer in
the efficacy of municipal ownership.
Every power delegated to n govern
ment by people, be that government
national, state or municipal Mr.. Price
went on to say, is the deprivation of
that people of just that much of it's
private rights He advised extreme
caution in delegating peoples rights to
governmental control Only necessity
should prompt such delegation and
when any man urges it, he should be
reminded that upon him is the burden
to prove the necessity. The field of in
dividual effort should not be con-
tracted 1t should be left as broad as
possible. Only when necessity de-
mands it, should there be a contrac
ton.
NECESSITY ARISES.
Necessit.- sometimes does demand
Mr.. Price admitted, that the control Of
public utilities should be taken from
private parties. as for instance when a
monopoly attempts to grow tyrannical
Three methods of accomplishing this
We're suggested Competition. legisla-
tive control and municipal ownership.
Competition is always attended with
the danger of II merger and its con-
sequent ills. Legislative control, or
state ownership means the creation of
Il new and great power for politicians
which can be put to wrong use.
Municipal ownership has this same
drawback and the additional one that
it is extremely speculative as to Wheth-
er an enterprise can be as we'll man
aged by Il municipality as it can be by
Il private corporation.
The principal cities of the United
States Mr.. Price said have of late
declared strongly for municipal owner
ship of water plants. Out of the fifty
largest cities, only nine do not own
their own plants. In 1890, only forty
two and one-half per cent of these
cities owned their own water plants.
Municipal ownership of water plants
is therefore as yet in an experimental
stage Mr.. Price thought it well for
Scranton TO wait and watch the expert
ment.
Mr.. Hill unhesitatingly declared in
favor of municipal ownrship. That
municipal ownership would encourage
corruption is not a valid argument
against municipal ownership, he said.
but an argument against men. The
United States postal service was point
ed out as an example of how we'll a
public utility enterprise could be ad-
ministered under governmental con
troll. Instead of being a deprivation of
peoples rights. municipal ownership is
Il step forward in the evolution of
popular government.
ME-. Hill suggested tAat the evils lnat
some feared would follow in the wake
of municipal ownership could be
guarded against by appropriate statu-
tory enactments: civil service, per-
manent management. publication of
minute statement, and operation of
cost.
REMARKS OF OTHERS.
The remarks of Bishop Hoban, Rev.
Dr. Israel and Prof. Joslin Were very
brief. The latter two did not essay to
discuss the subject because of its hay
ing been so completely covered by the
speakers. Bishop Hoban also
declined to enter into a discussion of
the subject on the same account, but
by way OF Il suggestion mentioned The
fact that municipal ownership of n
water plant would probably tend to
better sanitary conditions, because it
would likely mean cheaper water and
therefore a freer use of it, and inspec-
tions more frequent and thorough, be-
cause of 1t being probable that city's
would feel less regard for ex-
pense thin would those employed and
paid by private party.