The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-09-21

OF which will be devoted 20 the opin-
ions Of the investigators, the other 20
the statistical information upon which
those opinions are supposed TO be based.
Half Truths.
We use the word supposed" ad.
yisedly. for from the advance sections
that have been given TO the papers II
appears that some at least OF the mu.
nlclpal ownership members OF the com.
mittee have not considered II neces.
sary TO make their opinions square
with the facts. For instance. Mr..
Bemls holds up the Wheeling CIV. Va
gas plant as an example Of successful
municipal ownership because IT, net
rate Is 70 cents. while 81 n charged
by the companies in Norfolk. Va. and
Atlanta, Ga. According 20 the news.
paper reports. Mr.. Bemls does not IN.
form the public that the average price
Of coal IN Norfolk and Atlanta Is nc
least OO per cent higher than In wheel
Ing and that the latter city uses natu.
raj gas as fuel In its retorts, nor does
be call attention 10 the important fact
that the average candlepower IN the
two cities named Is 20 per cent higher
than IN Wheeling
Charity Begins al Home.
Where Mr. Bemis does use figures
he uses them shrcwdly. As supcrin.
tendent ~ the Cleveland watcrw orks
be 81 course knows that IN that city
the average death rate from typhoid
IN the thirty.two years preceding 1895
was - per 10000 So be uses
Cor comparison with cities that have
private waterworks only the years
lg05-OG. when the typhoid death rate
IA Cleveland averaged only i7G per
10000 Two years Is n course Ear
too short period upon which O. base
such comparison since the rates
vary widely In different years. the rate
IN Syracuse In 1906. Tor example. BE-
Ing only about half what Il was IN
1870. while Cleveland dropped from
IL In 1890 20 - ia 1875
Hope Versus Experience.
Professor Parsons. another ~ the VI.
q. members ~ the committee. seems
90 prefer the fU'Urc o. the past as a
basis Tor determining results lie tx.
presses his conviction that municipal
ownership would develop n hisher
class n municipal administrators but
when be- o. faced with such conditions
ns existed i1 Philadelphia rrdcr the
notorious gas ring BE- promptly side.
steps the issue by declaring that phila.
delpha dId not have public owner.
ship. but only ownership by political
Fruftcrs The humor ~ this T. ap-
parent when one considers that one ~
the principal objections 90 municipal
ownership Is that % tends 60 result IN
Ownership by political grafiers."
Politics Versus Efficiency.
on this point the opinions - Pro.
fcssor Commons are worth quoting
Although be- also has a prediction |
Tor municipal ownership. be- evidently |
assumed that Il was bis duty o. give |
verdict IN accordance with the facts
His sincerity must D. recognized even |
by those who Do not accent an a bis |
conclusions. lie aud Mr. Sullivan. Ell.
TOR 81 the Clothing Trades bulletin. /
consider the labor aspects ~ the sub
Jet Professor Commons admits that i
some municipal plants are politically
honeycomtcd" aud adds
The appointment. promotion and dis.
missal ~ employees aud ihe wages 90
BE- paid ofcr peculiar opportunities Tor
political and personal Influence incon.
Iistent with efficiency"
Professor Commons finds that Il L.
Dot unusual Tor public service com.
panlcs 20 appoint employees nt the
bchcst ~ political bosses. but be- notes
llfat IN such chscs the employee has
20 make good 10 order 10 hold his 20.
ItIon. while Ia the cnse 81 city plants
De politicians influence il expected 70
tccp the man boo the position even II
ie b Incompetent o. negligent
Municipal Employees Pull Together.
In Great Britain Professor Commons
inds that muuiclpallEation has pro.
luccd "A spurious form of trades union.
sm.' which was rcpudiatcd by n pruc. I
lcally unanimous vote Of tie trades
inion congress In 1896 on the ground
hat the Municipal Employees assocIs-
ION Il n class rather than "a trade or.
Tanlzatlon. Speaking Of The advocacy
" some councillors Of the disfrnn.
Ihlscmcnt OF municipal employees be-
nusc ~ their tendency 10 support can.
'ldntcs who VIII conccdc their de.
hands, Professor Commons says that
bis u not the true remedy. though
II goes without proof that such n
emcdy Il needed. for municipal em.
Iloyees sooner or later cast their votes
l'r candidates who promise or have 70.
ured n bettermcnt u their condition
cgnrdlcss OF lts effect on the enter.
rise ~ a whole"
A Menace 10 Unionisn.
Professor Commons considers that q
rades unions will check this tendency. j
ut such has not proved 10 be- the case G
4 England. and Mr.. Sullivan. who IL '
Violently n friend Of the unions. points {
at that II IL more probable that the :