The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-07-29
FOR PUBLIC
OWNERSHIP
CONTINUED from Page Three)

companies have made the more 1ntelli
gent efforts toward adequacy and pu-
rity of supply, and that, all conditions
considered, the result of their efforts
has been and is a better and cheaper
maintained by the municipal water
works department"
Mr.. Clark also dissents from the
statement, speaking of politics in Glas
gov, Manchester and Birmingham,
that these conditions are distinctly
favorable to municipal operation, if
by this is meant a municipal owner
ship that may be favorably compared
with private ownership, in the charac-
ter of it's results and in benefit to
the city n citizens served. my
knowledge of the question: says Mr..
Clark, lis had from personal investi-
CATION, and from a study of a re-
ports of the experts employed by this
Commission n of the writings of
members of the Commission 1t leads
me to the conclusion that the city and
citizens Of Glasgow, Manchester and
Birmingham, as well as of the other
municipalities investigated, are not
so well served by their public service
trading departments as the cities and
citizens of London, Newcastle, Shelf
field, Dublin, and Norwich are by com
panies operating similar trading indus
tries, and mat there is 40 element of
blessing in the NATURALIZATION in the
former cities to compensate for the
Indifferent character of the service
rendered."
On the general subject OF munich
pal ownership, Mr.. Clark says the in
vestigation in which he taken
part has convinced him that munich
pal ownership has. not proven equal
to private ownership, in benefits to
the consumer, citizen Or city. He does
not agree that the way should be left
open for any municipality to under
take any trading operation, without
special authorization by the legisla-
ture Of the state wherein it is located.
81 cannot believe" Mr.. Clark declares
that the prescribed remedy for any
i'll should be a worse ill, and I cannot
recommend that a municipality suf-
fering, or believing that it suffers, I'M
der public administration of a public
utility, should be given the right to
engage il the operation of such utili-
ty for itself, without sucl a course
of procedure as will make sure that
the Snhnr caonnd thnIIuht Of tho nnn-
pie shall ave ample opportunity for
development and expression, before
the community is committee to NUM-
cipal ownership with the accompany
ing dangers and difficulties, of which
you are warned in the majority re-
port.
Because 1 believe that the general
credit of municipalities should be con
served for the benefit of public and
necessary improvements, from which,
in the nature of things, private enter
prise is excluded; and because 1 be-
lieve that a municipality should not
in any event engage in any trading
enterprise that will not pay it's ow1
way, and have the confidence of the
citizens as financially sound, l think
that municipalities should be prohibit
ed by statute from making invest
ments in trading operations, except
with money borrowed on mortgage,
or otherwise the loan being secured
by a lien On the plant in which it is
invested, and on the right to operate
tho camo an3 on fhic onEyo
Mr.. Clark dissents from the opinion
that a city should have the right to
purchase at it's option the property of
public service corporations for opera
ton, lease or sale. He bases his OPP
position on the belief that it is prac-
funds for investment in an enterprise
subject to purchase by a municipality
at any date to be selected by the nun
icipality, and because ne believes that
the impossibility of so securing pri-
vate investment may, and often will,
work a social harm to a community.
"I believe in state regulation n
protection OF public service compa1-
ies," Mr.. Clark continues. 81 do not
understand that your Committee was
charged with the duty of recommend
ing to you a from OF regulation. l
know that your Committee made no
special study on mis- subject. There
fore I am not prepared to propose n
detailed plan of regulation.
Finally, regrettiHg to be in n de
gree in conflict of opinion with my as
~sociates, 1 may still satisfy my
Of duty to my fellow-citizens and my
sense of obligation to you for the hon
or of a share in this important work,
by recording the conviction l am I'M
der at the close of this investigation
81 am convinced that the condition
of the British people. individually or
collectively, has not been improved
by the NATURALIZATION Of the indus