Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-02-01
BY ARTHUR WILLIAMS.
HS MN I1ON !" "TEIITkF-I-1
President National Electric Light associa
ton

BY ARTHUR WILLIAMS.
President National Electric Light associa-
ton.
Some things are SO essentially of =
governmental nature that 1 would b
fatuOus TO consider them from til
standpoint of private Ownersh',
Among these are the collection of cU
toms. the maintenance and direction
the army and navy and the police pp
er. In others II Is the end rather H.
the means that should be sought,
municipal and private ownership
often on equal terms without the Vi
ton of any economic principle.
The maintenance Of public highwu.
and sewers is usually a public fun,
ton. but the country abounds in exam
pies. every whit as satisfactory Of p
vate ownership and operation. Wiz
water the Importance TO the commun!
ty lies not in its ownership whcihe'
public or private. but rather In its quail
ity, quantity and price. Many of the
most satisfactory waterworks of this
country and Europe are owned prl-
vatcly
Beyond these there is 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. 1t does not
appear that either Is Il sufficient rea'
son. These are facilities and cOnven
/ lenreS not necessities. The latter con
sist of simple dwellings, food, ralment
/ and means OF warmth In winter. II
/ our necessities are to be municipaliZed
/ Ger. baker and coal dealer, whose per
/ centage Of profits far exceeds that OF
/ any of tie corporations in the so called
/ public service.
] AlbllDIitiA uitAlth ihOhOPbit
] not necessarily opposed to the public
( interest. 1t IL advantageous TO all tC
have one telephone system. that from
/ one point all may be conveniently
/ reached: to have one street car sys
+ TEN with universal transfers, making
/ unnecessary any relation between ones
home ana place of work; to have O
/ 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.
/ \ franchise merely permits Il public
service corporation to share with 9th
ers the use of the streets for the de
/ livery to its customers of the commod
/ ity it SupplleS-a right that Is enjoy
ed by every other industry. The diff
! ference is merely one OF method. Were
I electricity delivered in storage bat
terieS and gas in tanks-conceivablt
ways--no franchise would be required
Instead of using horses and wagons
which blockade the streets and make
street cleaning n problem, deliveries
are made beneath the surface without
dirt, noise or other Objectionable fea
lures.
1t is through the exercise Of this
right that we hear Of the confscatlor
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 it may de
sire. 1t has simply permitted serv
ice company to become a tenant fol
which, In the form of franchise ant
other taxes, the company pays a higl
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 lessons proportlonately
the individual taxation.-Moody's Mag
aZine.