The Washington herald., 1907-03-31
AIieht ON puhlle ounershln.

Advocates Of public ownership will, ",
think. find little comfort in the denun-
eiatlon Of the New York police system
written by Samuel Hopkins Adams, which
appears in the current issue of Collier.
Weekly. Although Mr.. Adams aimed
only 80 uncover the unspeakable corrup-
tion and Iawlessness- of the organization
which is supposed TO protect lives and
property and prevent and detect crime in
the metropolis. ne nevertheless has fur
nished a powerful argument against
municipal ownership. the most logical and
reasonable Of all forms of public owner
ship.
Give ME q private contract TO police
New York" Mr, Adams quotes Police
Commissioner Bingham rs saying, "and ]
could do it. and do it efficiently, for half
the money that is now spent. and pay
myself 100000 a year salary. How? BY
having the power to hire my men and
'hre' them"
This statement OF the commissioner was
aproDos Of the bill now before the legisla-
ture at Albany. the purpose of which is
TO clOthe him with power to reduce and
appoint his inspectors and official detec-
tives at will. Police departments are a
part Of the machinery of the various lnu-
inequalities the world over, or at least are
government-eontrolied Just as the han
ding Of the mails is universally regarded
as a governmental function, even in coun-
tries where there IS no suggestion of any
other form of government ownership.
But the point that Commissioner Bing-
ham makes concerning the New York
police department applies to the operation
Of utilities, as Well Every student of
public ownership knows that one of the
most glaring defects of that system is the
preponderance Of the political element.
the inability Of the man OF board at the
head of a municipal. State. or Federal
owned property to follow business meth
DDS rather than the dictates of reignins
politicians, and to hire and FIRE" their
own employees, as Commissioner Bingham
puts it.
In Australia and New Zealand. for ex-
ample-countries where the people fatu-
ously support government ownership re-
gaxdless Of the obvious burdens it has i'm
posed upon them-trouble and financial
loss have always followed the impotence
OF officials in charge Of public utilities in
the matter Of control Of their subordi-
mates Not only are the railway commits
sioners Of New South Wales. for instance.
without power definitely aud finally to
discharge any of the men under them.
but the State government is unable to dis
pose readily of the commissioners. them
selves when they become undesirable. as
IL found to its cost no later than last sum
mer Naturally. discipline and esprit de
corps are at the lowest possible stage. If
the officials order the dismissal of an en-
ploye. an appeal is taken. the power of the
labor union IS invoked politics enters
into the equation as a result of the voting
strength of the laboring element, and the
man is Teinstated iu nearly every case.
This IS exactly analogous 10 the police sit
uation In New York, where more than
one inspector or captain has been re-
stored TO his place through political inffu-
ence and legal teehnicalities. One such
official, according 90 Mr.. Adams. had
found ''pickings' so good that he was
enabled to pay Elihu Root $4,000 for legal
services in getting him back on the force.
OF course. we are not advocating the
policing of cities by private contract, any
more than we are contendlng that graft
is not possible under both private and
public ownership. We merely assert that
public ownership, is not the panacea for
the ills Of the body polite. and that Mr..
Adams article iuuminates one of the
most potent reasons therefor.