New-York tribune., 1906-12-01
AGAINST NJ. O. TENETS.
INQUIRY NE4R ITS END.
c.sc Federation Commission Re
norted Unanimously 4duerse.

,orsI Civic Federation, after an exhaustive in
,..,,ration of public ownership both in Europe
s America is understood TO be unanimously
,,,osed TO public ownership. on the grounds
,,st n is unscientifc wasteful and morally un-
desirable.
The commission Is making up its report. and
,,, .,brnt II 10 the federation before the middle
OF January
misunderstood that even the so-called Tabor
,enbers Of the commission. who two years ago
.,a enthusiastic advocates of the public owner
..,n idea. are now resolutely opposed to &.
70 This turns out TO be true-and there Is little
ooro for questioning the trustworthiness of The
--ihunes source OF information-it means that
municipal ownership. or public ownership.
~. federation styles Il, is a dying cause. and
.hs, organized labor, which for twenty years
has been struggling to force the adoption of
,,,hlic ownership will be compelled to ad-
rt. The falsty Of the theory and the inherent
fp,lity OF its further advocacy.
A subcommittee OF the federations Public
ownership Commission VIII leave to-day for
netroit 10 Investigate lighting plant there.
.fterward the committee will investigate plants
IN Cleveland and Philadelphia. The commission
already knows about these plants, having OBJ
,ained exact information some time ago. After
making further Investigations at Detroit, Cleve-
land and Philadelphia, the commission VIII
turn TO this city and formulate Its report.
DECISION sUPREMELY IMPORTANT.
Notbing could happen that would be of more
Intimate interest 10 organized labor and civic
bodies all over the United States and Great
Britain than a presentment Of the Civic Fedora
lions Public Ownership Commission against
public ownership Literally hundreds OF thou
sands Of wage earners have been waiting for the
verdict Of this representative jury. Public owner
shin was the dream of Henry George, whose
theories have become more and more potential
The report Of the commission may mark the be-
ginning OF 4 quick decline of advocacy Of public
ownership. The commission contains J. W.iSul-
Ivan Editor Of The Clothing Trades Bulletin
Of this city. 4 man universally respected in
trade union circles. and Professor John r. Com
mons Of Wisconsin University. who, like Mr.
Sullivan At the outset most enthusiastic
advocate Of public ownership.
Il is understood that Messrs. Sullivan and
Commons in the course of an extended investi-
CATION Of the administration OF public utilities
by municipalities in Europe. have found that
they are detriment TO the public rather than
2 blessing
The findings or men like Sullivan and Com
mons against public ownership would make
profound impression in trade union circles
Labor union men exceedingly distrustful
of politicians who urge reforms for the sake OF
getting votes hut they have the greatest conf
dence in men like sullivan and Commons.
ONE HUNDRED on COMMITTEE
The Public Ownership Commission was ap-
pointed by the executive council of the fedora
tion. and is composed of one hundred prominent
men. representing practically every shade of
opinion this subject. The commission ap-
pointed tWenty-one Of its members a committee
investigation. whose duties We're TO examine
the conditions and results of public ownership
and operation and private ownership and opera
lion of gas water. electric power and light and
street railways in this country and abroad. Fff-
teeH members of this commission. with eight
engineers and accountants, spent four months in
examining all the important public and private
plants IN Great Britain. They are
rleting their work in this country, and will soon
turn iH their report
In al their examinations the committee con-
suited with the engineers and accountants.
These experts We're. Street Railways Norman
NOD. Crawford. Of Hartford Conn. Cas- II.
woodward. ~ London: J. p. Klumpp Of Ger
tnsntovn. Penn and William Newbigging of
Manchester. Electric Lighting and Power-A.
z Winchester. Of South Norwalk, Conn. and J.
9. kluInpp Messrs. F. II. Turner, Of Manches-
'er. and Robert c. James Of wallingford, Penn.
were the accountants
Labor conditions in the plants chosen for in
vestigation We're studied by Professor John r.
commons, n Wisconsin University. and J. w.
sullivan, editor Of The Clothing Trades Bull
'eir. of New York Legislation and franchises
were studied By Milo r. Maltbie. Of New York.
EUROPEAN CITIES VISITED.
The cities visited were Dublin. Glasgow. New
castle-on-Tyne. Manchester Leicester Sheffield
birmingham. London. Liverpool and Norwich.
~ Glasgow the committees work was especially
promoted by the fact of its having the friendly
cooperation OF Manager Dalrymple of the citys
fafh"ays- At London similar assistance was
rendered by Sir Clifton Robinson
In this country the work Of Investigation is
almost completed. The cities that have been
visited are Wheeling Allegheny Indiana polls
'hicaso and South NorwaIk A number OF other
'neS have been examined by the experts and by
members ~ the committee whose work has been
Specialized
Ralph ". Easley, secretary of The federation
"he7 seen yesterday at the federation's offices
30 81 Fourth avenue seemed surprised that
anything was known OF the forthcoming report
~ 'he Public Ownership Commission He said:
REPORT READY IN JANUARY.
The report Of the commission will not he made
pubic unul some time in .January-in fact il
= not as yet formulated. 7 must of course re-
1F - speculate what il Will be No one
htloNs nat it viii he I say this that
,iaf@F@r the report contains Will be the truth
~ ne Hahlic ownership and operation Of public
,'tb@S in Europe have turned disappojnt-
,sE HE truth VIII he known abou; Il Per
.Aaif tie runOr thai the report viii be adverse
I~'llo ownership is purely matter OF deduc-
m Melville +. ingalls,, president of the Big
".i Railroad system is q member of the fed
aIoh He went TO Europe TO investigate and
NNeF he returned he had something IN sav