The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-07-18
Report of National Commission
on the Municipal Ownership
Leaves Decisionin Balance
FOR AND AGAINST THE PLAN
Most Dangerous Question in Connection
With the Subject is That of the
Political Control of the
Municipal Plants

Civic Federation Municipal Owner
ship Commission have completed their
reports, and a critical review of the
results of their examinations in the
United States was made public Satur-
day by the Commission. This review
is by committee of fourE appointed
by the Commission. Two of the writ
ers, Walton Clark, vice president of
the United Gas Improvement company
of Philadelphia, and CharlessL. Ed
ger, presidentsof the Edison Electric
and Illuminating company of Boston,
criticise severelysthe municipal plants
examined, while two other writer's,
Prof. Frank Parsons of Boston, Ipresi-
dent of the National Public sOwner-
ship League, and Edward W. Bemis,
uperintendent of the Cleveland, O.,
water works, finds,much to favor in
municipal plants which were investi-
gated.
Messrs. Clark and Edgar lconcur in
the statement that the ing uirysof the
ommittee, both from the. standpoint
Of British and American Sexperience,
more especially the latter, has shown
that "where municipal ownership has
been removed from the realm of
philosophic discussion andsput to the
test of actual experience itghas failed
inglorious1y. The belief issexpressed
by these gentlemen that the ''few en-
thusiasts" who still advocategmunici-
pal ownership twill soon be con-
WINGED by the logic of events, and
turning their energies to other things
will through them realize their am
billions Of usefulness to their fellows.
Prof. Parsons and Mr.. Ben1is, on the
other hand, take mostlhopeful view
as to municipa lizafion, declaring that
the failures of municipal Eownership
are insignificant omparedEto the fail.
ures of private ownership, either in
number or Importance. As to the fit
ness of American cities to manage
business affairs, manyEof them, Prof.
Parsons says, have clearly proved
their fitness, and the rest can be made
fit. Br. Bemis believes that the great
est reason for the strength of the III u
nicipa1 ownership movement lies ia
the relations of the public service cor
porations with the state and local
governments, which relations he de-
clares are destructive of political
purity, democracy and free institu-
tons. In this same connection Mr..
Edgar and Mr.. Clark take the view
that the evil of building up political
machines with city employees as a
basis exists now to degree in Ameri-
can municipalities and that the dis
astrous effects would be much greater
if the many gas, electrical and street
| railway employees were added to the
present number of city oficeholders.
Prof. Parsons expresses the convic-
ton that municipal ownership would
develop higher class of municipal
administrators. He denies that pub,
lie ownership would destroy individ-
ual initiative.
The reports reviewed by Messrs.
Clark and Edgar, on the one side, and
| Messrs. Parsons and Bemis, on the
other, aggregate almost one million
| words and were made to the public
lownership commission of The National
Civic Federation by technical ex-
perts, engineers, accountants and
| statisticians who visited and thor
oughly inquired into prevailing con-
| ditions in a large number of public
and private enterprises in the United
States and Great Britain. The scope
| of the inquiry included the following
subjects. Franchises of private cor
porations, public supervision of mum
licipa1ities, history Of municipal own
ership, effect of public and private
ma cement upon; political condi-
tions, conditions Of labor, character
of service, price of service, cost Of
service, economy of management,
Improvement in service and methods
and financial results.
This report of the National Com
mission will be of greatest interest to
Kenosha as the City Council is at the
present time considering the plans
for installing municipal lighting
plant. Tire question Of the Kenosha
municipal plant will undoubtedly
come up at an early meeting of the
Council.
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