The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-04-11
NUGGETS OF SOUND SENSE.
Beware Of the Entering Wedge of So.
cialism-Pubuc OwnersnIp.

I
cialism-PubIc Ownership.
In recording the defeat of munich
pal waterwOrks scheme in Ralaish. y.
c., after au educational campaign 0l
several months duration. the Evenin ;
| Times of that city gives IN analysis "
municipal ownership which is well
worth the careful study of all whb
have at heart the welfare of their
cities. OmittinG references to local
conditions. the editorial reads as t0l-
| lows:
Municipal owners,lp is contrary 10
/ the fundamental doctrines Of the DEM
Ocratic party, which opposes central
lied parental government and cries out
| for the freedom of individuals. The
| function Of the government ij to gov
| ern. regulate and execute the laws
made hy the DeOple and not to engage
in trading and traiicl:iAg for Sprcul:i-
tive gain. The miserable failure which
the state. hacked 10y all its power and
public treasury. made in the tradiag
business while it owned and operated
plank roads. canals and railroads Is Il
blatant warning against municipal
ownership
municipal ownership is the first step
in socialism. which Strangles individual!
enterprise. deters the Investment of
capital in our city and retarIs In
dustrial progress. When once started
there is no limit to its scope until there
becomes a large increase in municipal
debt and taxes and an impairment of
municipal credit. When city en-
cages in municipal ownership it runs
the risk of constant suits for damages,
while the state and county are de
prived Of taxes upon that much prop
erty.
while many towns owning water
works publiSh rates which appear to be
cheap. they are in many instances de-
ccptiVe for the reasons that. in addition
to the rates, taxes are levied upon the
people to pay interest on bonds. which
when added to the rates make the
consumer pay more than the rates
charged by private plants. Many of
these municipal plants if examined by
experts according to the business rules
of examining the affairs of private cor
poratiOns would be proved to be run
ming at loss instead Of Il profit, as
claimed.
Under municipal ownership the
chance Of the laboring man for en-
ployment depends not upon his merits.
but upon his political influence and
pull. and If he is not able to use pub
lie water he still has to pay taxes for
the benefit of TIE rich man who does.
There is no more reason for munich
pal ownership of water than there is
for butcher shops bakeries clothing
stores drug stores. livery stables, etc,
and under the system Of municipal gov
ernmcnt in this country it is fertile
source of graft, political corruption and
bosSSm, n catchy slogan for political
campaign. Il slick article with which to
deceive the people and on which to
ride into Office and machine to per-
prtuate the control of the boss. 1t has
been aptly called that vivid saffron
gold brick under whose glittering tin
sci turks a deiusion and Il snare.
"Municipal ownership is dead! Long
live good common business %enae!'
1t is n curious fact th"t the board OF
aldermen which voted unanimously 10
remCw the water franchise was elected
on a municipal ownership ticket. Facts
beat fancies IT, they have fair chance.