Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-10-24

miasion on Municipal Ownership Show
Why American Institutions Should
Not &c Abandoned at tho Demand Of
Socialists and Mu~nicipali-crs.
The efforts of the National Civic fed
GRAFTON have resulted in a commission
of Amcricaus whose first interest IN
this investigation. as in all else, is to
do what t.icy may to preserve and con-
tinlc the american idea and American
institutions, believing that the high
state of civilization and prosperity
i'm America iustifies 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 i'm improve
meat in the condition of the people.
Believing this to be the thought and
intent of the membership of the ON
mission and Of the committee subor-
dinatc to it, we Still believe that there
are ills in the American body polite
that may be rcmedicd or cured. We
believe that the remedy Should be APP
piled and the cure effected without any
unnecessary departure from the Amer
ican idea and the American system.
We believe That the framework upon
which may be built purity of admins
tration and the highest possible good
of the citizens Is in existence with us
and that it is not necessary in the eff
fort to cure the ills from which the
body polite may he suffering to dc,
stroy that body. We submit that. liv-
ing in II land where peace and pros
perity are the coinmon lot, WI must be
very cautious; of change. This does
not mean that where abuses are found
TO exist they should not he promptly
and mcrcilessly cradicatcd, but III does
mean that changes in system should
he undertaken only after conclusive
proof that such changes will result in
lcttcring the condition of the indiviI-
ual. We had better bear the relative
ly few Ills we have than subject our
selves 10 unknown conditions that may
bring in their train greater ills of
which we do not know.
Car investigation has determined
with certainty many heretofore mooted
questions. 1T indicates the probably
correct answers to other mootcd ques-
TONS. Where the facts arc clear and
the conclusion evident our task has
been to summarize and Indicate. Where
there is remaining uncertainty rs to
facts and conclusions arc not evident
we have made an effort to determine
the probabilities. This has resulted i'm
arguments based III such facts as our
investigators have recorded and on our
W 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 it
clearly proves municipal ownership to
he productive of many and serious ills,
with little or no ceapensating good.
The writer; Of these chapters, agree
ing, we believe, with the other members
of the committee of twentv-onc, that
public sclvica companies should reason
ably be regulated and afforded the pro
lection that comes With regulation and.
~appreciating that tie committee vas
not appointed or constituted to consider
method, of regulation, nevertheless; de
sire to record tlleir opinion that some
form OF regulation of private cem-
panies should be adopted i'm each of
the United States. What that form
should be tlli, commission Is not pc
pared by any Investigation or any
study it las made to ~au@@2st.
Finally. we WHO stand in opposition
to municipal ownership. ;,scas.nls. wc
believe. for al imliviAuHlisti, ag..airn
The arla%aace Of i.:eAH OF ss:@.voeatsa
in a@;sg.ieins .,..it ti.S3 csc,Naige!!T @r-
c"py TIC liell uf refe9in In arali:ws
with Tx l.sal0aes coz sa.Ge. and that
Ties. a.e x. so.e pro. rs II mSas-
nras Of economic iiMa.e @lei. ia nm
ni~ipll aG..lias. Me ;;se.t TT The CD
pes NJ; Of municipal cs.. ,.ssto and
cpcjatica. lrln ANA cons teat s.n...N,st-
css of justice. are t,ia class seckim. the
public welfare ~iateiia atly "@.l in a.
corGanee rS;ta American principles. On
this point We DO Not yield to amy boy
of men.
Me seek. as n FIRST principle. TO III
sure every oan his OWL In doing so
aud in c~rdssavcrins u lHetset the pub
lie against oppression and error we
lin ii cur duty to demonstrate the CT
rois in !llc schemes of municipalities
and Socialists and to warn against The
oppression tllat they threaten. We arc
resisting efforts To put burdens OH the
backs Of the American people. We can
not and will not remain silent while
the attempt is made to thrust costly
and inpracticallc projects upon CHS
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 u~nsoundness 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 pcrils of munich
p%allzation, 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 dupcs, finding 1t out,
have administered to their false guides
mn overwhelming rebukc.
We individualists arc not seeking to
lead the people in strange paths. Our
MIN is to keep them in the paths they
have heretofore trod paths well
known, along which the American PEG.