The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1903-05-14
.rnetsvs p1unieipai Ohsees
l.easoR.

q figan. Of The Metropolitan Street I
r. Iwsy Company. signed an sgrse-
Heat with Mayer Reed % make
esnsin improvements IL tie ssEyics
Of hrs company. Hs promised 20
pay = fxsd sam annuaiiy into The !
treasury, 70 couvsrt ths cable inis
electric services, 70 sxfend several
lines, 70 build a few new oael, aad I
to make . nsnlber Of otbsr improve
meuis which ihs people practically
demanded st the the city sieeiou IN
1904. The imPE0ssmszfs whsrh (
Mr.. cOrrigsn promised have been
pushed with Iissle noise bss Eifh
eslerity, and most Of them are noE
completed. An done within the
time fxed. In addition the com-
pany has been making some in
provenents which Il did not prom
ise. Il IS building a s., COO 600
power house at the foot Of Grana
avenue-ihs largest in The world
II has raised the wages Of ali its
employees. We believe Il viii also
be granted that II is giving is pa.
irons more satisfactory service now
than ever before IN Ets history.
These facts, when contrssted
with the facts regarding thr way the
city has managed rs water works
system. are fs to point a moral and
adorn a tale The water works
system Is not nearly 50 large and
valuable as the street car system.
A year ago IL stood in as much need
of Improvements As the street car
system did. There was jus; as
strong a popular demand that these
improvements should be made. The
people own the water works, srd
it seems that they should be able 70
get done with their own property
whatever they want. Yer, how 90
the Improvements that have bsen
, effected in the water works com
! pare with the Improvements that
have been effected in the street car
syaema The street car company
, is almost through with its improve.
! ment work, while the city prscsi-
eslly has not 60, started.
We do not draw attention to
/, this contrast for the purpose oi
praising the Metropolitan Street
[ Railway Company. That eomPsIS !
has not acted from philanthropy,
, motives. Il is not in business iol
, us health or Tor the public good; u
e never will be, and is not expeeseC
> 10 be. The odiect Of ats othelal'
u IS TO make money Tor ITS stock
holders. We draw astennon q
: the contrast as an example Of hov
!. badly public ownership works ii
= Kansas City as compared witt
ie private ownership under publ
regulation. The people own th
wafer works. They doa, own th
. street railways. From the waite
s works system they get poor an
ia preearious service, which COS
to them as much os more than
y would Il the system wese 70 psival
hands; and Instead OF derivin
d. large Suns ia tsxes fFom Il the
er are going to have 20 boad thea
D. selves 70 make needed improvI
meats. From the MssroPoiiss'
on the other haad, they see iEisl
.a | good service Al a price wh'eh
4 least Is 90 greater proPorsioaatei
.d. than thelr water service cost thei
direeslyi they don't have 10 vo
bonds ioT she systems impJov
IL meats, and. 10 addi6oa. the cat
tls the country and the state an s
rs considerable sans OF money fro
81 il 10 Ihe form Il taxes
~ UndsF such al management a
~ managers Of Utilities are led BY CO
si8sFstions oi iusslligent self tote
'as rsl. as we ses IN the case Of 4
=. Mstropolisaa, 10 Pus sad kei
:. their properties in good eoaditio
"a whlls they nay be compelled
80 gVe ssSviee az tar Pries bY Pop.
o. opiuion. aud. that iailag. b. IA
~ This continuation q private ou0'
ship and maaagsness and Pub
n. son,sol q utilities will. we beli'
ma be The sysism ~hieh Ameris
II. manicipahnss gsasfally wiii d
ads 4 Sisess and most pso6sabls
adopt.
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