Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-11-12
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THE AMERICAN IDEA,
IndiyiduaIism the Keynote OF Our
National Success.

Charles L. Edgar and Walton Clark OF
the National Civic Federation Com
mission on Municipal Ownership Show
Why American institutions Should
Not Be Abandoned at the Demand OF
Socialists and Munioipalizers.
The efforts of the National Civic fed
Grafton have resulted in a commission
of Americans whose fret INTEREST,"
this investigation, as in all else, is to
do what they may to preserve and con-
t,nue the American idea and American
institutions, believing that the hign
state of civilization and prosperity
In America justifes the American IDEA
and the American method and places
the burden of proof heavily upon those
who would say another idea and an
other method would result In improve
ment In the condition Of the people.
Believing this to be the thought and
intent of the embership of the com
mission and of the committee subor-
dinate to It, we still believe that there
are Ills in the American body polite
that may be remedied or cured. We
believe that the remedy should be APP
piled and the cure effected without any
unnecessary departure from the Amer
iean idea and the American system.
We believe that the framework upon
which may be built purity or admins
tration and the highest possible GOOD
of the citizens Is In existence with US
and that It Is not necessary In the ef-
fort TO cure the Ills from which the
body polite may be suffering to de-
stroy that body. We submit that, Nv
ing IN a land where peace and pros
perity are the common lot, we must be
very cautious of change. This does
not mean that where abuses are found
10 exist they should not be promptly
and mereilessly eradicated, but 1t does
mean that changes in system should
be undertaken only after conclusive
proof that such changes will result In
lettering the condition Of the individ-
ual. We had better bear the relative
ly few Ills we have than subject our
selves to unknown conditions that may
bring in their train greater Ills OF
which we do not know.
Our investigation has determined
with certainty many heretofore mooted
questions. 1t indicates the probably
! correct answers to other mooted Ques-
tions. Where the facts are clear and
the conclusion evident our task has
been to summarize and indicate. Where
there is remaining uncertainty as to
facts and conclusions are not evident
we have made an effort to determine
the probabilities. This has resulted In
arguments based on such facts as our
investigators have recorded and on our
own experience as operators and OBJ
servers.
We believe no intelligent reader OF
the voluminous record OF this commits
sion's work will fail to conclude that 1t
clearly proves municipal ownership to
be productive of many and serious Ills,
with little or no compensating good.
The writer's OF these chapters, agree
ing, we believe, with the other members
of the committee Of twenty-one, that
public service companies should reason
ably be regulated and afforded the pro-
lection that comes with regulation and
appreciating that the committee was
not appointed or constituted to consider
methods of regulation, nevertheless de-
sire to record their opinion that some
form Of regulation OF private COM
panies should be adopted In each OF
the United States. What that form
should be this commission Is not pre-
pared by any investigation or any
study 1t has made to suggest.
Finally. we who stand In opposition
to municipal ownerrhip. speaking, we
believe, for all indiyidualists, arraign
the arrogance Of many Of its advocates
In assuming that they exclusively oc-
cupy the field OF reform in dealing
with tic problems concerned ana that
they are =, sole promoters Of meas
ares Of cc.aomic improvement in mu-
nicpal affairs. We assert that the op-
moments OF municipal ownership and
operation. firm and consistent support
ers OF Justice. are the class seeking the
public welfare intelligentDy and In &C
eordance with American principles. On
this point we do not yield to any body
of men.
We seek. as a first principle, to In
sure every man his own. In doing so
and in endeavoring to protect the pub
lie against oppression and error we
fnd it our duty to demonstrate the er-
rors In the schemes of municipalities
and Socialists and to warn against the
oppression that they threaten. We are
resisting efforts to put burdens on the
backs of the American people. We can
NOT and will not remain silent while
the attempt is made to thrust costly
and impracticable projects upon Gus
toners Of public service corporations
and upon the public at large.
We know the truth will out. We are
confident that ultimately the American
people must appreciate at their value
the unsoundness Of the arguments OF
the municipal Socialists. We shall aid
In fastening the day when our fellow
citizens Will know through discussion
what the public Of London have been
taught by bitter experience. London
has awakened to the perils Of munich
palization, as is evidenced by its YER
dict In the recent borough and county
elections. In that great city the munic-
ipalizers have led their fellow citizens
astray, and their dupes, finding 1t out,
have administered to their false guides
an overwhelming rebuke.