The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-09
II YOU would not be known ito do
EMERSON.
Municipal Operation.

= fFs
Tho most striking statement In the re-
mort of Mr.. Howard Bruce, the expert
Who investigated Rlchmond's gas works
is the following:
..The whole attitude seems diametri-
ca,lv opposite to that Of a private cor
poration.
Tint is the whole story in nut shell
Of municipal ownership and operation
rThe government always lacks initiative.
enterprise and progress, for the reason,
Ia the main, that it lacks the incen-s
tive Of personal gain; and assumes towards
its customers the attitude OF authorit!
and autocracy rather than that Of ousi-
ness solicitation. The government does
not condescend to cater 10 trade. II Is
also 10 be considered that the employees
#of government are often selected by the
rule Of political pull rather than by that
of merit and efficiency.
stis Superintendent Knowles OF the city gas
works, claims that there are many IN
accuracies in Mr.. Bruccs report, but
granting his claim, he admits that me
81nands Of the city, due, he declares, 10
the failure Of the city government to
make suitable provisions for the works.
,rhe superintendent further asserts that
The plant has been hampercd by phys!-
e cal limitation and lack of sorely needed
,,nnrovements. It is inconceivable that
any private corporation, owning 50 valtl-6
able a property as the Richmond citI
gas works, would have failed ito make
suitable provisions for the works. to
Keep them in thorough repair and equal
8#tc the demands of their customers. 1t
is Uncomfortable that private corpora
ton would have failed to put aside from
wear 10 year a sinking fund for depre-
citation 1t is inconceivable that pri-
vate corporation would have failed TO
oiier inducements TO customers to in
crease their use of gas. The stockhold-
ers would have demanded that all this
be done in order to maintain the value
OF the stock and to Increase the divi-
dends But there are no such cons!dera-
ton with the city government. there Is
no credit to be maintained SO far as the
works themselves are concerned, and
there were no stockholders to clamor for
increased dividends.
Let us consider another phase OF this
interesting subject. We are opposed 10
the principle of government operation.
not merely because II has been generally
proven to be uusucc2ssful and not mere
ly because 1t Is a source OF political
corruption, but because It tends TO dis
courage Individual endeavor and enter
prise. II Is not function of govern
Inent TO carry on trade. The function
of government is 10 make and execute
laws for the protection OF society, for
the protection of personal and property
rights. TO open the way and give oppor-
1unity for Individual exploitation and
achievement and II The government
should, by usurpation, monopoiize the
field OF enterprise, ii would, in Inc end.
crush out human endeaYor aud destroy
manhood. Thai would be the logical and
inevitable result of government paiernal-
fem perfected. All The people Nigh, get
employment under such system. bu.
they would be mere subjects, md no,
treemen.
In yesterdays paper we reviewed IN
part an article On municipal owaerBhip
In Great Britain ny Professor Hugo Z.
Meyer. OF the Chicago p1iYersify. IN
me first part nj MS srt;ele .ar. Meyer
.eals with The deYsloYtGent 0: eisclric
railways under the English syste-a; In
The second part ne desls win eiscr2c
lighting.
I'm lssl" says he Gtae tsca neetcest
lectric lamp aaa i.s7fs4st 10 ne coifa.
nercial stage and Ef1Hsa tapls-tssss asd
manufacturer Of eiectr1cal slaeaiasry,
representing ra!liions Of ps9ses steg!in1,
stood ready 70 exploit tbs nsW inYsa,ssa
In 1872 Parliament aDpolsiea q se.sge
committee 70 cogg.eeF ~ terpas 9.ssa
which ffanch!sez saaad u gfashee ~
electric companies hi tiss Ee4se u, Trase
subject 70 he csazsqseri &gTosag u,
Parliament a rcrer ms tasls 40 ~.
'ussed al len1ti1. and 4 fs4zs4re Nh
inally odoptea. limiting ~ i,sfese4a n,
.wehty-oEc yeaHs. Nth 1eY&ga ~,
ao'apulaoFy yale ~ tie egd ~ mr. -
replacement ~ resslg IN ss&E
electric light coinpsHl+s nl1 81 ~,
hye charters; IN 1&s3, tar esasFstzi b
10, none: n M. cEe, sta ia IN ~
lt&s. none. ~ tise esoss n m s1sgg
one Of the foregofpg et.ariegr mi ~,
revoked for noa.ee4. 'rFss elsraqsei
had 'heea sbsoigteiz csai4 ~ gsa'
money radef ne ,esas 'fssesea ty ay,
government ~ ne elees ~ fsSa tss4,
Scrs only seyee eiee9rsp alxes sssts2st
.oAs q sadea wsfs eDsfsts2 .dSas 4