Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-11

uation OF It's real estate. and iinan-
clal authorities say 1t Is extremely
unwisc. IL not dangerous. for this
limit TO be approached.
Municipal ownership nndcr some
very favorable circumstances has
proven successful. AS u general prop
osItion. however. II Is thing 10 DO
avoided, and under all circumstances
II IS thing to be gone into with the
greatest dcllbcration and oa-c. II Il
ely must own some utility, possibly
water works system Is the best. for
after water works have been put In
operation. n comparatively snA,ll
number of employees Is required. and
consequently tte opportunities for
graft aud political tricke.y Is dimin-
ishcl. When u city is situated ms
Newport News is. however. The Daily
Press believes that even water
works system is not desirable pos
session. especially when the means
that must be adopted for securing /,
are considered.
Councllmen who voted Tor the
resolution claim that their action
means nothing--that the committee
must act; that II the proposed bill
Is p7ssed by the legislature the bond
issue question must be- passed upon
by the people and again BY the coun-
ell. To ccrtuin extent this argu-
mons is good one. but II must be
remembered that the committee re-
ported fayorably upon the original
resolution that the proposed bill
would 70 TO the legislature with the
countll's request for It's passage and
'tat the passage of the resolution By
both branches of the council indicates
to the people that the council fayo )
he bend issue--and the people have
habit OF trusting municipal qucs.
items TO the Judgment OF the men
whom they elect to represent them.
The Daily Press hopes ana. trusts
That the resolution will be KILLED by
Shc aldermen. ana would view final
adoption OF the measure az Il public
calamity.
1t the Newport News Light 4 Wa
ter Company IL Imposing an unrca.
Sonably high rate upon tho public.
then steps should be taken toward
compelling that corporation to give
proper rates. The city attorney
should pass upon the naturr of such
steps. Ii a stick is needed. then
Il might be remembered that the
corporation mentioned has never Sc.
cured n franchise from the city of
NEWPORT News but Is operating ito
business and using the clty's streets
Under charter granted by the lesis-
latnrc is years ago. nix years before
Newport News was Incorporated.
ih's fact. while Il may amount 10
nothing. Il properly handled possibly
could be developed into a pretty
heavy club.
One thing is certain. Two water
companies cannot live in Newport
News. no matter how many may DO
supported By communities differently
sc,uatcd
II By any mischance this million
dollar bond issue should become n
reality. the city would be obliged to
have a revenue from the money I'M
medlately. for $4,000 year spent in
interest on bonds would mako such II
hole in our finances that II would be
impossible TO conduct the government
Many other things could be said on
this subject. but further discussion
seems useless, 4 majority of the
members OF both branches of the
council are men Of Intelligence. and
TINS paper prefers to believe that they
Will do nothing foolhardy when they
have had timc for dclibcration.
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