The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-27
POLITICAL CONDITIONS
IN i. s. and BRITAIN
Review by National Civic
Federation Of Munich
palities of Both
Countries.
THE MUNICIPAL
OWNERSHIP IDEA
Experts Agreed That Poll
tical Conditions Have
Bearing on Success
or Failure.

New York, July 25.-Political condi-
lions in the cities of the United States
and Great Britain as they bear upon
the question Of municipal ownership
and operation of public utilities are
discussed by Prof. Frank J. Goodnow
pr Columbia University, and Walter L.
Fisher, President of the Municipal Vot-
ers League of Chicago The
reviews We're made at the in
stance Of the Federation's commission
Dn public ownership which recently
completed an exhaustive investigation
of the subject in cities Of both America
and Great Britain. Some Of the results
Of these Investigations already have
been given to the public. In previous
reviews, however, more attention has
been devoted to the physical than to
the political side of the question. 1t was
Tor the purpose Of showing the widely
varying political conditions in British
municipalities as compared with the
cities of the United States that Messrs.
Goodnow and Fisher understood their
task
The reviewers are agreed that politi-
sal conditions have a bearing on the
SUCCESS or failure of the municipal
ownership idea. Just how important
lhis bearing is, however, is a question
upon which they are not entirely in
q accord Mr. Fisher takes the ground
that no city is too weak or inefficient
TO undertake in some effective manner
\ the management of it's public utilities.
He contends that public interest and
public sentiment is all that IS neces-
Bary to hold city governments in line
and force the administrative officials Of
+ q community to do their duty. In this
connection he points to the public
/ school and park systems and the fire
4 departments of American cities. He
\ believes that public sentiment if prop
kerly aroused would have the same eff
lect on the management of utilities.
I Mr.. Fisher decres what he terms the
''perverson of the popular demand for
+. businesslike administration of Amer
lean cities" He says that even if mu-
- nicipal government is business" its
Z sole object is not money profit. "Mu-
Nnicipal government" says he, seeks to
<supply certain essential requirements or
Il desires of the individual citizen, not on
#ly at the lowest cost consistent with
the best service, but in such manner
#that the result shall be most advan-
ltageous to the community as a whole"
Il Prof. Goodnow finds that the govern
#ment of British cities is far more fa-
&vorable to the success of public owner
&ship than is that of the cities of the
IUnited States. Because Of its methods
ME- conducting municipal administra-
%tion," says Professor Goodnow, "Great
8Britain has conditions existing which
&hre favorable to efficient management
#They go far toward explaining the char
#hcter of the service rendered by cities
(which have undertaken the manage
Ament Of certain public utilities" He
xkinds that the management of British
#cities is characterized not only by the
degree of efficiency attained, but that
Mt also is commonly free from even
hnsinuations of graft or corruption on
1.-THE part Of public offlcials.It is his opin-
hon. too, that the government Of Amer
lean cities is too complex and that there
BIS too much politics. He believes that a
&Eorsiderable change must be made in
81 vhe conditions of city governments in
America before the municipal owner
ship policy can be successfully applied
MIN this country.