Connecticut western news., 1907-01-24
By ARTHUR WILLIAMS.

President National Electric Light associa-
 ton.
 Some things are so essentially of a governmental nature that 1t would be fatuous to consider them from the standpoint of private ownership. Among these are the collection of GUS toms. the maintenance and direction of the army and navy and the police pow CT. In others 1t Is the end rather than the means that should be sought, and municipal and private ownership are often on equal terms without the viola ton of any economic principle.
 The maintenance of public highways and sewers Is usually public func- ton. but the country abounds In exam pies, every whit as satisfactory. of pri- vate ownership and operation. With water the importance to the communi- ty lies not in Its ownership, whether public or private, but rather tn its qual- ity, quantity and price. Many of the most satisfactory waterworks of this country and Europe are owned pri- vately.
 Beyond these there Is a class of pub lie utilities which experience has shown should lie exclusively within the domain of private enterprise. The telegraph. tel ephone. transportation, gas and electric light undertakings offer examples. The ownership of these by the community Is advocated by some on the ground that they are necessities of modern life, by others because they partake of the nature of monopoly. It does not appear that either Is sufficient req son. These are facilities and conven- fences, not necessities. The latter con- sist of simple dwellings. food, raiment and means of warmth In winter. If our necessities are to be municipalized, we should begin with the butcher, gro cer, baker and coal dealer. whose per ccntage of profits far exceeds that of any of the corporations In the so called public service.
 Monopoly regulated monopoly = Is not necessarily opposed to the public interest It Is advantageous to all to have one telephone system, that from one point all may be conveniently reached; to have one street car sys- tenn with universal transfers. making unnecessary any relation between ones home and place of work; to have a single gas or electric light works. pre- venting the waste of small plants and organizations and securing by the lar ger development increased reliability and improved quality In the service.
 A franchise merely permits a public service corporation to share with oth- CTS the use of the streets for the de livery to It's customers of the commod. ity 1t supplles-a right that Is enjoy ed by every other industry. The diff ference Is merely one of method. Were electricity delivered In storage bat teries and gas In tanks-conceivablc ways-no franchise would be required. Instead of using horses and wagons, which blockade the streets and make street cleaning a problem, deliveries are made beneath the surface without dirt noise or other objectionable fea- lures.
 It Is through the exercise of this right that we hear of the confiscation of public property. Yet the public has not parted with Its title to the streets nor its right to occupy them for any purpose or In any manner 1t may de- sire. It has simply permitted serv- ice company to become tenant for which. in the form of franchise and other taxes. the company pays high rent. Substantially the city is the landlord. possessing the power of arbi- trarily determining. in the form of these taxes. what rent 1t shall receive. And this rent lessens proportionately the individual taxation.-Moody's Mag azine.