Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
A BUsINEssLIKn VIEW


mpulsive action in its municipal AFFAIRS. The sson
thus taught should be useful now in considering ar ,ew
and unried propositions for the citys beterment sht
It is we'll for progressive city to be down late
in utilizing new ideas Of proved value but alVe is
bad policy to plunge inconsideratey scheu E1at
iooh aurins IN 'neofV Out may not worR OUT s'Fsrpc
torily in practice. lie
long distance effect of the recent municip Co1ec-
tion in Chicago ia notceab,e now IN 1os Ane3 Gun II
is in the fresh impulse given to the genera ry
Of municipal ownership of public utilities 7 act
tnat the Dig CITY oil Chicago Is about 10 emofly dauhe
ownership and operation of its public tranf 1875 Sem
gives encouragement to jealous advocates blic
ownership in Los Angeles. . cburc.
But the levelheaded people of this cityghts, RE
rash inconsiderate step in the direcy an
ownership. march, NJ,
They will look at all such proposition santa Monin
experienced business man would look 4 i' "a ne
offered for the beerment of his trade. sA in snan
would either wait until the advantage of the mus eme
had been practically demonstrated elsewhere -, he
would first experiment with in small way Certainly
he would not think of plunging 1t headlong without
assurance that he could at least be able to swim
To consider a specific case 1t may be that public
ownership and management of the cy's gas service
would prove to be a great The success of the
municipal water service is pointed as evidence of
what may be accomplished in that way. But water is
natural product, while illuminating is artificial
one involving complexities and difficulties. The
success achieved in the water problem does not
sarly point to in the service electric service
any other of intricate mechanical kind
The position of The Herald this question has been
made plain heretofore in to the wreched service
the present inolerabe service must be improved
II it is necessary to install municipal plant for that
purpose.
But it will approximately S5OoOOOO put in such
a gas manufacturing and distributing plant Los An
geles requires Two years in the judgment
of experts would be required reach the point of
ing the system serviceabe Notwithstanding the money
and the time, however. the change be if
essary give Los Angeles gas service in all respects
satisfactory to the public.
Within few days the ordinance will take effect
giving the city authorities power control and regulate
the whole business of gas making and distribution
cepng the matter of price. The latter consideration
is especially important 80 gas" would give
present of complaint the quality service
satisfactory With this in the hands of the
city authorities there will be practically the op-
porunity for making the service satisfactory would
be offered if the city owned operated the plant
defining the power of city this respect is
clear and comprehensive.
Finally it is the judgment of The Herald that the
plan of municipal control and regulation of the gas
service defined in the ordinance take effect
be given fair trial If that trial that municipal
and regulation cannot be effective then let
us try municipal ownership if it does involve
cost of s5,OOO,OOO and years of time.