Mexico weekly ledger., 1903-01-15
THE LIGHT E
Arguments Against the General
Scheme Of Municipal Ownership
Of an Electric Lighting Plant
in Mexico.


scarcely any argument for its support,
preceding nearly always from the
short-sighted viewpoint merely Of
the financial outcome. Newspaper
comment exhibits only a cursory ex-
animation OF the matter as to the
coed or bad policy OF the move, from
the standpoint of experience, with no
reference to first principles. There
fore 1t is my purpose to set
forth the really ultimate reasons
for the reputation of the gen.
eral public ownership scheme
of street-lighting as proposed by some
citizens Of this city, without reference
to that particular manner Of opera
tion outlined by the authors OF the
proposition.
In the first place, although generally
not so recognized, any action of the
government beyond those limits COM
monty called the police powers of the
state is a socialistic movement. The
proper duty of any government is the
prevention of any aggressions, public
and private, and that alone. There
fore any public improvement is mani
tested socialism, a form Of injustice.
For there can be no rational cause for
a majority desiring such Improvements
to tax a minority compelling the
fewer number to contribute part pay
ment for the support Of a scheme,
which the latter may not only not de-
sire, but which may give them no
benefit whatever. That no private
person can with any justice attempt
or practice such an action, no matter
how much good may be done to either
or all Of the persons concerned, is ac-
cepted without question. So when a
majority OF persons pursue the same
methods there can be no difference!
What is to be reprobated in a single
person can by no means be made right
because a host favor it. Thus it is
seen that the proper limits Of state
rights is the prevention Of aggressions
public and private and that alone.
"All embracing state functions char
acterize a low social type; and progress
to a higher social type is marked by
REIMBURSEMENT OF functions. "-Prin-
ciples Of Ethics, Spencer.
However, ] must say that my pur-
pose for touching on the preceding
paragraph is merely to furnish a def.
milton Of the limits Of state duties be.
fore beginning upon the treatment
proper Of municipal ownership.
Although they are unjust to tax
payers, manv Of the movements be-
yond the line OF police powers seem
to be justified, the good done by them
by far Outbalancing the harm. Thus
the public schools system, socialistic
TO the extreme, is a common example
of this. So, waving the question Of
the proper limits Of state duties, be-
cause actualities must now be dealt
with, | will allow the right OF trans
gression beyond those limits and ad-
nit the right Of the government to
resort to expediency. Then If a.
municipal government has the right
to tax its citizens for the maintenance
Of street lights for the supposed pub
lie good, then just as surely
it has the right to operate its own
electric light plant. This is too patent
to be denied.
However, although the right Of the
city government to the operation of
its own plant may not be questioned,
yet because Of Inherent economic dis
advantages reacting upon society, and
further and more important, because
of the present conditions Of society
there may be grave reasons for not
adopting the scheme.
The reasons are four in number.
IL is an established fact that divis-
ion Of labor is one OF the institutions
accompanying advancing civilization
that has done must towards the ameli-
grafton OF the lot Of the individual.
man, living alone, or
roaming at rare periods in small
bands. vas compelled 10 live without
assistance. With n dependence upon
any help be made his own weapons,
slew his own food, made his own cloth
ing, was his own fisherman and fought
single-handed both in obtaining food
and in defending himself against like
attacks, Receiving no assistance or
scarcely any from another person, 1t is
evident that from the multiplicity Of
cares and duIies-and from that very
multiplicity Of necessary activities al
Iack Of time 10 which to become
Efficient enough in any branch Of labor
to make much prUgress-there was
fiery little space OF time for any higher
qualifications or pleasures But in
his age Of social cOmplexity and OF
specialization, when by practice in
'nly one part OF labor a person can
accomplish many times the result IN
he same amount Of time and with
he same amount OF energy expended
hat u could do when any number Of
Itber duties we're pressing upon him.
{ is ais1 evident that by the use Of
rade and barter a Ia can also OBJ
ain all OF the necessaries, and By that
OF economics that both parties 70
bargain receives benefit is enabled to
mass such a surplus OF value that
many s0ught-for pleasures and gratih-
can now be enjoyed that other
wise il would be totally impossible 70