The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-08
PUBLIC ownership
IN OPERATION
Committee Appointed Two
Years Ago by American
Civic Federation
Reports.
MANY INVESTIGATIONS
Commission Composed of
Many Men Prominent
in Their Respective
Callings.

New York, July After an investi-
cation extending over nearly two years
and embracing many Of the principal
cities both Of the United States and
Great Britain, the National Civic Fed
Grafton commission on public owner
ship and operation has completed its
duties. The important and interesting
reports on labor conditions are the first
TO be made public There are two re-
ports on this subject, one by Prof. John
e. Commons, of Wisconsin University
and the other by j. w. Sullivan, editor
of the "Clothing Trades Bulletin" of
New York, The report Of Prof. Com
mons, under the title of Labor and
Politics" is more favorable to munich
pal ownership Of public utilities than is
that Of Mr.. Sullivan, made under the
general heading, THE Labor Report"
Mr.. Sullivan makes caustic reference to
political rottenness, evidence as to
which he declares was conclusive in
Syracuse, Allegheny and Wheeling
Prof. Commons, on the other hand,
holds that corruption under municipal
control was no greater than under pri-
waite ownership.
The committee of investigation Of the
commission is composed of twenty-one
members, as follows: W. D. Mahon,
president Of Amalgamated Association
Of Street and Electric Railways of
America; Prof. John R, Commons, of
the University of Wisconsin; ]. w. Sui
Ivan, editor Of the weekly Bulletin"
of the clothing trades, and prominent
labor leader; Walton Clark, vice-presi-
dent Of the United Gas improvement
company; Philadelphia; Daniel j.
Keefe, president of the International
Longshorenan, Marine and Transport
Workers Association; Walter L. Fish
er, president of the Municipal Voters
League of Chicago; Melville E. ingalls,
(chairman), chairman of the Cleveland,
Cincinnati, Chicago and st. Louis Rail-
road company; Prof. Frank ]. Good
now, of Columbia University; DR.. AL
bert Shaw (vice-chairman), editor of
the american Monthly Review of Re-
views; Edward A. Moffet (secretary),
editor of the "Bricltlayer and Mason;
Edward w. Bemis, superintendent of
Waterworks, Cleveland Ohio. Milo r.
-~~Maltbe formerly editor Of Municipal
Affairs Of New York; Charles L. Ed
gar, president of the Edison Electric
and Illuminating company, of Boston,
Fl. b. f. Mcfarland Commissioner of
the District Of Columbia; w. J. Clark,
foreign manager for the General Elec-
trio Company, New York city; limo
thy I1ealy, president International
brotherhood Of Stationary Firemen; Dr.
Talcott Williams, journalist; F. J. Nc
Nulty, president, International Brother
hood of Electrical Workers; Prof. John
II. Gray, of Northwestern University;
Prof. Frank Parsons, president of the
National Public Ownership League
and Albert q. Winchester, general sup
erintendent of the electric works of the
city of South Norwalk, Conn.
The Committees investigation.
The commission has made a most ex-
huetiye investigation Of public and pri-
vate operation of the four leading pub
lie utilities, gas, water, electric light
ing and power, and street railways, in
all the cities visited both in America
and Great Britain. Fifteen members of
the investigating committee sailed for
Europe on May % last year and re-
turned to the United States in August
Among the cities visited abroad were
Glasgow, Newcaetle-on-Tyn London,
Liverpool, Norwich, Manchester, Bir-
mingham, Dublin, Leicester and Shelf
field. Investigations in the United
States were made in Cleveland. Chica-
go, Philadelphia, Wheeling, Detroit,
indianapolis, Richmond Atlanta, South
Norwalk, Syracuse, Allegheny, New
Haven and Hartford. A staff Of en-
gineers, accountants and statisticians,
numbering over twenty, Of national
reputation, were employed to examine
thoroughly every undertaking visited
by the committee.
These experts were SO chosen, that in
each examination made, both sides OF
the municipal ownership question were
represented Thus one engineer, ac-
countant or statistician approached the
subject under consideration favorably
disposed toward municipalization, while
his colleague began his task holding
views in opposition to that principle.
Municipal Ownership Abroad.
Certain effects of the municipal own
ership movement in Great Britain on
the private companies are evident, says
Prof. Commons The Sheffield company,
under the far-seeing management of
Sir Frederick Mappfn, has directed its
policy for many years with the dis
tinct purpose of meeting the argu-
ments for municipal ownership. To
avoid agitation it has refrained from
going to Parliament for permission to
Increase its capital stock. Consequently
it has distributed its large surplus
profits in the form of reduced prices
for gas and betterments to its plant,
Most instructive of all is the attitude
of the companies toward their en-
ployes. With the sentiment of munich
pal ownership ready to explode, the
companies cannot afford to risk
strike. The Newcastle Gas company has
met this situation by a willing recog-
milton of the gas workers union and by
a resort to arbitration through which
wages have been materially raised. The
south Metropolitan company has devel-
oped it's copartnership scheme with as
tonishing shrewdness and careful at