Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-05-09
Municipal Ownership.
Kane Leader.

the municipality the question of muni-
cipal ownership has been a conspicu.
GUS one. Endless argument has been
offered on either side, but it all resolves
itself down to two things, just as pri.
vate ownership does, and these two are
the ability to acquire and the ability to
operate.
Probably the first is the more i'm
portant consideration for the ability to
acquire is defined by certain legal re-
strictions. To buy takes money or
credit, and the law limits the amount
that municipality may spend by
limiting the amonnt it may collect from
the taxpayers. The question Of opera
tion is a different one, for asthe results
of operation are not gauged
by any fixed figures the balance sheet
tells, and nothing else does, of the
ability OF those operating.
Municipal ownership is usually de-
termin ed in the smaller communities
by the ability TO own. 1t stops there
because only few of the communities
have the ability to own any but the
barest necessities The average Am
erican community is growing at rate
that prohibits the outlay of money for
even what is constantly needed and
not often obtained.
With most American towns muni-
cipal ownership of anything but the
school houses and such wholly pub
lie property must be dream of the
distant future because the munich
pality cannot pay for anything else.
Warren is now discussing the wis
dom of owning its water works. Pitts
burg, With municipal water works, has
one of the worst water supplies on
earth. And Pittsburg is spending mil
lions for hetterment South Pittsburg
has private water supply and is
no worse and no better than the public
supply of the north side of the Monon-
gahela, where the bulk of the city lies,
Dubois has satisfactory water system
in the public plant, and so has Brad
ford. Possibly Warren may have,
privately Clearfeld is trying for Il
public water system and cannot raise
the price. Some towns can provide
the money for pubic water works,
public light plants public conveniences
of various kinds, and some that have
such operate them successfully while
some do not.
The question of public ownership,
where the funds are available for the
purchase or construction of public
conveniences is debated one. Some
arguments favor public ownership, and
some do not. The most forbidding
argument is the inability of public ser
vice to secure efficient men under the
electoral or appoiEtive plan. Politics
plays too many favorities. Where
good men can be had and kept in place
without politics making public service
the victim of political graft no doubt
municipal ownership of many things in
small communities is wise, for the
small community is nearer to the public
heart, and therefore to honesty and
efficiency than the community is.
Probably the water plant of Bradford
or Dubois is operated more efficiently
and economically than the water plant
of Philadelphia or Pittsburg.
Municipal ownership of anything,
even to street lamp, has something
to be said on each side. In Kane the
principal thing is its cost, and cost of
maintenance, and how much money
can be realized from taxation. For the
present it is enough to be patient and
see what the new assessment is going
to land the revenues of the borough.
After it is settled as to what the in
come will be, and what expenses are
necessary from that revenue it may be
possible to entertain the ownership of
light and water plants. But the first
municipal ownership in Kane should
be that of some more paved streets and
sewers, school houses, fire equipment,
and things of that nature that are not
supplied by private enterprise,
Teachers Examinations.
The Cameron County Teachers Ex-
aminations for 1907 will be as follows:
Sinnamahoning. ng............M May 81
Drlftwood, .................M May %
Sterling Run, May %
Emporium, ,............M May 24
Emporium, June 2S
Teachers examinations in Theory Of