The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-07-16


lating to undertakings which their
representatives have had an opportu-
nifty to visit and to developments OBJ
vious to all who are interested in the
progress of the debate on the ques-
ton. THE voluntary movement of
the municipalities to this not easily
shiftable point would, we submit, in
itself have been a contribution to the
cause of truth and a source of graft
fication to their adversaries. But the
radical British municipalizer has ex-
hibited the resurces of hope and
fancy, if not of logic and consistency.
While his American comrade is still
shouting for municipal ownership, he
is today, in his latest fran of mind,
looking expectantly to 'municipaliza-
ton by provinces is, for gas,
water, tramways and electricity he
now wants national government, APP
preparation, ownership and operation.
He has dropped municipalism and
comes out for what he all the time
had in the background of his thought
socialism.
THUS the familiar old song of
state socialism is paraphrased. The
principle was accepted by leading
municipalities of Great Britain, who
appeared before our commission in
London, and it is the logical outcome
of multiplication.
when ex-Mayor Dunno of Chicago
came out last summer for twenty
year franchises for the street car cor
porations of his city he demolished
his platform, ignored his campaign
principles and returned to the system
of private ownership in the one in
dustry whose reform through munich
palization was the loudest cry that
gave him his Office
Professor Parsons and MIR. Bemis.
In favoring municipal ownership,
Professor Parsons declares that in
most discussions of the subject too
much attention is given to the purely
financial side of the question. DOL
lars and cents are not to be neglect
ed" he says, "but life, liberty, JUS
tice. virtue and intelligence-the
whole character product and social
product of our institutions-are of
greater moment than their money
product" Taking up financial re-
suits, Professor Parsons gives 1t as
his view that the, municipal plants
are more economical. Broadly
speaking" he says, recognizing that
there are exceptions to all rules, the
facts show that municipal plants tend
to make lower prices to ordinary con-
sumers than private plants in the
same country working under similar
conditions, and they do not grant
electric rebates or other favors by Sc
cret agreements with large users, as
is not infrequently the case with the
larger companies. In the compare
lively few cases where municipal sys
TENS do not make low charges the
public still gets the benefits that UNI
der private operation go to the stock
holders, for the profits of the public
plants are used to improve the serv-
ice, pay off the capital, relieve taxa
ton or accomplish some other public
purpose. Municipal plants are found
as rule to have lower capitaliza-
ton than private plants, both in rela
ton to output and in relation to as
sets"
The Review BY. Mr.. Bemis.
Mr.. Bemis declares that the over
capitalization and high earnings
thereon of private companies and the
demoralizing relations often existing
between private companies and city
governments are the two great rea-
sons for the municipal movement.
Mr.. Bemis opens his detailed re-
view of the experts reports with an
analysis of the charges for water, he
finding the rates to be more favor
able to the consumer in the munich
pal plants, with especial commenda-
ton for the low meter rates at Cleve-
land. He also declares that in spite
of great reductions of rates in SYRIA
cuse on going from private to mu-
nicipal ownership, and the phenOme-
nally low charges for all residence
consumers under the present meter
system in Cleveland and the mOder
ate charges also in Chicago, the fl
nancial results of municipal owner
ship, from the standpoint of the COM
mifnity and the taxpayer, are far bet
ter in the three municipal plants than
in the case of the two private COM
panies studied.
Syracuse is found to have the
greatest mileage of water mains per
100 miles of streets and Indianapolis
and Chicago the smallest. The pri-
vate companies, he points out also,
have the smaller fire protection, In
dianapolis having but forty-nine fire
hydrants per mile of street, New Ha-
ven fifty, while Chicago, the lowest
in this respect of the municipal plants
examined, has 49,, Cleveland Ills
and Syracuse 11.2.
On the subject of purity and quail
ity of water Mr.. Bemis says:
"While a high typhoid death rate
is not conclusive evidence of the bad
quality of the water supply, yet low
typhoid death rate is absolute proof
of the sanitary excellence of the wa
ter. The following table gives the
death rate from typhoid per 100000
of the population in the five cities
ctud;od Cor tho na ct two NearS.