The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1903-04-04
MUNICIPAL OW NERSHIP.

There are few questions of 10
cal importance which should oc-
cupy more of the thought and at
tentlOn Of Iberians than that of
MUNICIPAL OW NERSHIP.
Municipal ownership means the
ownership by the municipality, or
in other words, the PEOPLE, of
the various franchises, etc these
to be managed by agents of the
people, the people to receive all
profits from such ownership and
management.
This cites by no means a new
idea 1t is not even a theory, and
is old enough to be beyond the
experimental stage. We are told
that the city of Glasgow, Scotland ,
owns it's street railways, its water
works, lights, sewerage, etc, and
we believe it is said of this city
that it's people pay no city taxes,
the revenues from these other
public privileges being sufficient
to pay all city expenses.
Another striking illustration of
municipal ownership is that of the
city of Berlin. Frank g. Carpel-
ter, one of the ablest and most in
teresting of correspondents, in the
T. ID. of Sunday last, has this to
say of the ownership by the peo-
pie of Berlin:
The Germans believe in the city
ownership of public works and Ber-
lin is interested in all sorts of under
tak1ngs. She owns the markets, halls
and cattle yards. She has savings
banks and 1oan offices, and more real
estate that any individual or corpora
ton in Prussia She owns gas and
electric works and lights not only the
streets, but also private houses, for a
consideration. She runs an insurance
company, and forces every property
owner to take out an insurance policy
to prevent loss in case of fire. At the
same time by her building regulations
she sees to it that her losses are as few
as possible, and the result is that the
insurace department makes money.
Indeed every department does COM
paratively we'll; the city pays all of
her own expenses and comes ont a
million dollars or 80 ahead at the end
of the year.
Now, that is the results of the
municipal ownership and other
features of good management IN
Berlin Mr.. Carpenter further
says that while in 1860 Berlin had
population of 100000, she now
has a population Of 100000, and
is the third city of Europe.
Some of our readers may say
that while this is so of Glasgow
and Berlin, it would not work in
New iberia. In reply we ask, why
noti Our little city already has
quite a start in the right direction.
The people of New Iberia will III
another year, when the last pay.
ment shall have been made, own a
market house which will give our
city revenue of from $500 to
81, 900; quite a handsome help to
the public treasury. We have our
own waterworks and lights, which
are almost self-supporting and
would be entir, ly so if the town
had a supply of good water. AS
it is the electric light plant has to
bear the expenses of both water
works and lights. If we had a
good water supply, these two plants
would, in all probability, pay an
other handsome sum into the pub
lie Golfers. These sums, TO gether
with the usual taxes, would give
our people the money, not only to
run the town, but to make much
needed improvements,nOt the least
Of which are sewerage and paw
ing of the streets.
New Iberia is yet, in one sense,
young city. We have most of
the public franchises yet our own.
What shall We do with them!