Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1907-03-12
NUGGETS or SOUND SENSE.


@@& ~ME&8&AN
In n~~anaang the defeat u = maunlri
pal wateEw~Eks sheaae la lsaaeagA. =.
e.. after ~ ex.n~aEaoaaaa caaagxslxn "a
several Eaoaaaas' daFatham. the Egenias
Tines Of thai city gives al analysis oil
municipal Ownership whlch h well
worth the careful study 1t all whp,
haVe 1t heart the welfare af thelg
ciiaes OgnIssiag refegxaaex-s 10 hxal
conditions. The editorial reads ~ fol
lows:
"NuntrlFst "wDeTshlfs h e>sasraFy a
the Fundamental doctrines Of the Ia.gn-
ocraiie party. which s9samssas ex~mtral.
iHed iaareRtal eosernuaeut AMI ct4e~s 0ug
for the freeloER of india t.luaas- The
function az th,' government l. a. gs,v
eTn. regulate ami exs~a.1e g,a~ laws
made by the T@~si!e and MT 60 engage
In trailing anei traihs King f'r ~sf~e~uia,
tive gain Tfs. misrraI.ls. failure whlrh
the state. lsackeSl 10y all its power and
public TREASURY. made I'm tlae trailing
business while 1t owned and operated
plank naads. canals ani railroads Is u
blatant warning against municipal
ownership.
Municipal ownership In the flrst steTl
in socialism. which strangl@s individual
enterprise, deaeFs the investment oil
capital I'm cur city and Trtaras I'm.
dustrial progress, When onCe started
there Is no limit 10 Its seore until there
becomes a large increase in municipal
debt and taxes aud an impairment ~
municipal credit. When n city en-
cages In municipal ownership Il runs
the risk Of constant suits for damages.
while the state and county are de-
prived of taxes upon that much prop
erty.
while many towns owning water
works publish rates which appear 10 he
cheap. they are in many instances de-
crptive for the reasons that. Ia addition
TO the rates. taxes are levied upon the
people 20 pay interest on bonds. which
when added 20 the rates make the
consumer pay more than the rates
charged by private plants. Many Of
these municipal plants IL examined by
experts according TO the business rules
Of examining the affairs OF private cor
porations would be proved 10 be run.
ming Mt n lnss instead Of a profit. as
claimed.
Under municipal ownership the
chance Of the iaboring man for en-
ployment depends not upon his merits,
but upon his political influence and
pull. and II he IL not able 20 use pub
lie water he still has to pay taxes for
the benefit OF the rich man who does.
There IL no more reason for municl'
pal ownership Of water than there Is
I for butcher shops, bakeries, clothing
| stores, drug stores. livery stables. etc.
and under the system OF municipal gov
| eminent in this country II Is a fertile
/ source OF graft. political corruption and
boSsism. IA catchy slogan for n political
| campaign. a slick article with which "a
deceive the people and on which "a
| ride into Office ami a machine to per
| petuate the control Of the boss. II has
been aptiy called that vivid saffron
| gold brick under whose gllttering tin
sci turks "a telusion and a snare.
Municipal ownership In dead! Long
live good common business sense
II Is n curious fact that the board OF
| aldermen which voted unanimously to
renew the water franchise was elected
on a municipal ownership ticket. Facts
beat fanclcs IL they have a fair chance