The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-31

abroad that have been visited and
show, that the results We're affected
favorably or uafavorably by special
conditions applicable to each city,
Further, the difficulty of reaching
satisfactory results by the comparative
method is not confined to special or
local conditions. It is true, as we'll,
of much broader questions. Thus any
attempt to compare municipal with
private electric light plants in che
United States would be fruitless If al
loWanee were not made for the fact
that in most cases such municipal
plants are confined to street lighting
and may not do commercial business.
Allowance must be made also for the
facC that many municipal plants have
had a struggle to exist in the face Of
unsympathetic public opinion. Again,
in England consideration must be CIV
en- to the fact that the municipal cleo
trio light and operating these particu-
lar utilities are limited as to the
length of their existence, many street
railway franchises expiring twenty-one
years after they were granted.
FINALLY, not only must it be borne
in mind that the social and political
conditions which characterize the two
countries find expression in their pri-
vate and public systems, but we must
consider the difference in the nature
of the two peoples which causes them
to adopt different ideas and views as
to the expediency of certain things In
other words, a measure of success In
the municipal management of public
utilities in England should not be re-
garded ais necessarily indicating that
the municipal management Of the same
utilities in this country would be fol-
lowed by a like measure of success.
Conditions are quite different in the
two countries.
There are some general principles
which we wish 10 present as practically
the unanimous sentiment of our com
mittee
First, we wish to emphasize the fact
that the public utilities studied are so
constituted that it is impossible for
them to be regulated by competition
Therefore, they must be controlled and
| regulated by the government; or they
must be left to do as they please; OF
| they must be operated by the public
| There is no other course. None of US
! Is in favor of leaving them to theil
own will and the question is whether
| it is better to regulate or TO operate,
There are no particular reasons why
1 ~ n,
| public operation should be different
| the conditions are the same. In eacl
case it is a question Of the proper MAJ
in charge Of the business and Of loca
| conditions.
1--WE are of the opinion that a publ
utility which concerns the health o
the citizens should not be left to indi
viduals, where the temptation of prof
it might produce disastrous results
and therefore it is our Judgment tina
! undertakings in which the sanltar
motive largely enters should be oper
ated by the public.
eve have come to the conclusion tina
municipal ownership of public utilize
should not be extended to revenue-pro
dLcing industries which do not involv
the public health, the public safety
public transportation, or the perma
nent occupation of public streets o
grounds. and that municipal operation
should not be undertaken solely fo
profit.
I'VE are also Of The opinion that al
future grants to private companies TO
the construction and operation of pub
lie utilities should be terminable afte
a certain fixed period, and that mean
while cities should have the right t
purchase the property for operation
lease or sale, paying its fair value
ITO carry out these recommendation
effectively and to protect the rights q
the people, we recommend that tn
various States should give to thei
municipalities the authority, upon por
ular vote under reasonable regulations
to build and operate public utilities, q
to build and lease the same, or to tax
over works already constructed. In n
other way can the people be put upo
) fair trading basis and obtain fror
the individual companies such rights q
they ought to have. We believe ths
thi, provision will tend to make it t
the enlightened self-interest of I'll
public utility companies to furnish ad(
z qGate service upon fair terms, and
this extent win tend to render it III
necessary for the. public to take owe
the existing utilities or to acquire ne
ores.
Furthermore, we recommend thi
t provision be made for eompeter
public authority, with power to requil
for all public utilities a uniform sy!
tenn of records and accounts, giving a
! financial data and all information COZ
corning the quality of service and Il
cost thereof, which data shall be pull
) lished and distributed to the publ
, like other official reports; and al:
} that no stock or bonds for public util
ties shall be issued without the al