The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-08
The Forum


Opinions CT the Readers Of the
Eagle on Current Topics.
PUBLIC UTILITIES.
To The Eagle.
Oh. what of the gas that won't make light
When the sun goes down on your home at
night
To pay gas bill and read by STANDARD
OIL
Makes a man nad-makes his blood boil
The council intends TO regulate the price.
But the people who use Standard OF!
Pay the gas bills and continue 10 toll.
As matter of fact ''old man Scott
Knows that the councils blun is all rot
And the gas user viii continue 10 sass"
While Scott" continues to furnish bad
gas.
This condition will last fer years,
Men may swear: women drop tears.
For light use Standard oil
Keep gas fixtures for fashions foil
The power to regulate anything is equal
to ownership; the power to fix the price
OF gas. OF water and electric lights is il
reality ownership y people that have
not political power enough to regulate 4
franchise are not capable of the judicious
management of any public utility. The
men who will profit by the city ownership
of the gas, water and electric light fran
chise will be those who use the water
and light at a reduced figure, but who
won't pay city taxes for any deficit
To put the matter squarely have you
ever known a city administration THAI
you have had confidence enough in 10
place in its hands the management Of o
business such as public ownership would
demand? The business as now conducted
is upon business principles, but as a city
business would it not be in the hands Of
ward heelers, has been" statesmen, 90
utical buns and relatives of the admins
tration from year to year.
ingalls, said politics was an iridiscent
dream" The senator had to explain, be-
cause he was still looking for honors. The
writer is not looking for political honors
and gives it as his deliberate opinion that
city politics in all cities (sOme counties
and some states is corrupt and debasins.
foul and damning This is not all the
fault of officials. 1t is the fault Of the
people Business men demand of city adj
ministrations the appropriation Of money
in violation OF lawn the face of the
plain law. How then, often demanding il
legal acts, can the same men condemn the
same administration for other acts not
exactly legal?
Damnable as it may be. the real truth
is that in the matter Of expanding public
money cities are not capable of honest.
economical self government. The people
boast of the government of and by the
people for the people We are today mis-
governed by congress. legislatures and
councils. The prodigality of all bodies
with the power TO spend money is grow
ing worse. What is the cure? There IS
none Private extravigance and public
prodigality go hand in hand. The wagon
is going down hill without a brake The
only measure OF relief is TO curtail the
power to levy taxes and not provide any
new avenues to put money into. The pur-
chase of public utilities may furnish 10
the present a few years of delight, b It
unless the people demand economy the fu-
ture generation will curse us for the load
of taxes to follow.
The governmental power 10 lew taxes IS
a tape worm. 1t will never be satisfied.
The time will come in the future as in
the past, that people will groan under
taxes. The only relief is to limit the
avenues in which taxes are levied. The
lawful amount allowed by law in any dt-
rection is the only limit Of any taxing
body Whatever the limit is the taxing
body will "get there ELL
\ city administration can no more with
stand or refuse the demands made upon
it than an indulgent parent can refuse
his children requests. The vice is in the
power to tax-the system. Cot down a
mans income and he changes his style
of living. Cut down the power Of taxa
ton.
As long as the power TO levy is left
as long as mankind is made out Of toe
present 'yaller dog clay as long as peo-
pie demand Illegal acts OF councilmen. as
long as the public treasury Is viewed as q
thing whom all may rob at Will. as long
as there is a difference between what men
call their public conscience and private
conscience city politics viii always be
corrupt CROQUILL-