The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-26

kss=Ess manner Of their adminIstra.
IAkYyNI ton OF public utilities It Is
Ecner5ly conceded in all parts OF the
world that the water supply should be
owned aud operated by the cities or dis
trIcts served and It has become an es-
4 fnblished policy that the rates should be
reduced to d point where the plant will
bc self sustaining, or. at most SO as to
Weld only nominal profits. The same is
true Of tho infringement Of municipal
cemeteries. Losses arc conceded Ms in
CvltabIe In the maintenance Of baths and
wash houses and in other enterprises
which have as their. object a lowering Of
tho death rate or nm Improvement in the
morals or educational advantages OF the
community
*, But there are other enterprises, which
In Great Britain are coming under nu-
,cipal ownership. In which IL IL practi-
cal to 10 adjust rates ms to derive large
ana increasing profits, which may be d.
yGrtcd to tho common treasury and ap-
,led to the relief of taxes. j is here that
the line IL drawn between the Scotch and
lie English, municipal rcformcrs. and 1t
81, tic position taken by the former which
has aroused tic bitter opposition and re-
scntnent OF certain. interests. not only IN
England. but in the United States and
& elsewhere. ss IS t
Glasgow Is firmly committed TO the poll
4 ,cyiof conducting It's street railways. gas
works, electric light and power plants,
q telephones, markets. worknens dwell
ifga and all other enterprises OIL tile same
s iplan as that which is common will, the
management of water works. This u
denounced by Robert r. Porter as so
calism pure and simple" With many
8 others who have studied these questions
lie contends that the elimination5of pro-.
fits, by the division of all proceeds be-
st,<. atsf.s n
customers. is step frauEht with men.
ace ID all established Institutions. MI.
E Porter was formerly at the head OF the
rnnsils bureau OF the United States, hut
has transferred his statistical abilities to
Great Britain, where he is recognized All
the leading opponent OF what he terms
"munlcipal socialism,.
1t IL not my province In thees articles
no deba te this or any other question with
Mr. Porter. hut the signs are certain that
the opponents OF public ownership ~
t;reat Britain will shortly be compelled
10 abandon their original ground of an T.
tagonism TO the broad principle of the
municipal purchase and control OF certain
utilities. and 10 fall back to entrench-
mcnts where they can resist tho spread
Of the more radical .Glasgow Idea = The
d futiity OF the agitation conducted by Mr..
Y Porter and those whom he represents IS
evidenced by the TACT that since the first
Of these articles was written the English
y Parliament has empowered the London
4 County Council to purchase all OF the
docks and warehouses In the port OF LonI
don at an estimated expense OF Sis5.ooo. 8
Ooo and TO permit an additional expendi-
tire Of 512.5o0,00O for deepening the
Thames.
This recent action Is sufficient answer
10 the repeated assertions which have
appeared in the press to the effect that
public ownership In Great Britain IS q
failure, and that the prppertied interests
have arisen In revolt against any extern
sion OF the system. All that now Is ask
ed by Lord Rothschild and other bankers
Is that the enormous amount be raised
by such method as will put the least
POSSIBLE strain on the money market
Statements have been made that the Eng
lisf taxpayers are appalled, at the startling
Increase in municipal debts and In the
rates AS have said before. there is
not the slightest foundation for tnis as
eertion. and the action OF Parliament in
the matter of the port OF London Is al
most sensational In it's refutatton It
authorizes the greatest single invest
ment ever made by municipality.
From conversations with the leading
officials Of the London County Council
Lam led TO believe that 1t Is Intended TO
operate this Immense property ct nom :
inal profit, with the idea Of making
London the greatest port Of entry In the
world This is in line with the Glas-
gov idea, and a large faction, Il not the
majority OF the present members OF
that body are already imbued with al
leglance to that theory. But as rue,
the English taxpayer fayors mnnlc'pa !,
ownership for the reason that there Is
money in II for him. The larger the mn-
nicipal profits tho better he Is satisfied,
He sees more advantage In reduced TAX
rates than he does In the Indirect pene-
even more radical than those now ~
operation or In contemplation.
Glasgow first attracted world VICE az