The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-09-18
MUNIcIpaL OWNERSHIP


Of providing plenty OF reasonabl
D pure water for the inhabitants
D there is a natural monopoly the priv
= uege Of furnishing water for mt
: aicipality is one. In the very natur
Of things it would be wholly impraC
ucable for rival companies or system
to attempt to supply the public witt
water. Then the cost OF installing
and maintaining a water compan!
is too great to admit Of a division o
the profits without making the prize
at which the water is furnished extor
tionate.
The generous use Of water should
be encouraged; not only this but the
municipality is charged with the OBJ
igation Of providing, either by ar
erangment with a private corpora
ton or by operating It's own plant
the inhabitants with water that shall
be free from disease germs. Impure
water has perhaps caused more sick
ness and death than any other half
dozen causes combined.
This obligation upon the part of the
city authorities being established, the
next question arising is the proper
method of discharging 1t. Municipal
ownership of all public utilities, and
especially of water plants, has many
advocates and the number who be-
Iieve that by that method the public
can obtain the maximum of service
at the minimum of cost is constantly
increasing, albeit the absolute success
Of municipal ownership has yet to be
demonstrated. 1t has failed in some
communities while in others its sue
cess has been beyond even the expecta-
tons of its most ardent advocates. In
its last analysis it is largely local
question, its success depending large
ly upon the character of those select
I'd to test it's usefulness.
If thoroughly honest, capable and
painstaking officials were always Sc
lected by the voters to manage the af-
fairs of the municipality there would
be little reason to doubt the complete
success of municipal ownership in
any locality. Unfortunately, however,
the ideal is seldom attained in the Sc
lection of those whose duty it is to
direct the public business Too often
the voters elect to places of great
power and responsibility those who
would not be employed by a private
corporation to perform the same du-
ties at any price, Not infrequently
the voters give little or no consider
alton to the business qualifications of
hose whom they give their SURFACES.
This makes the question of the sue
less of municipal ownership one of
doubtful propriety. Where dishonest,
'r incompetent or grating officials
Ire selected to manage public bus
ness enterprises, the successful con-
luct of which, even under private {
requires capability, judg-
nent, and honesty of the highest or
er,there can be little doubt about Q
he failure of municipal ownership.
On the contrary many cities have b
lade a success of both water and '
ght plants, supplying the public with v
-ater and lights at less cost than
hey had been furnished under pri- /
ate ownership and providing also a
luch more efficient service What q
her cities have done Columbia ought d
be able to do. There is little a
oubt that if the plant is properly a
anagedthe people can obtain a bet "
r and cheaper service than under Il
'ivate control. But can such man a
cement be secured in this city? h'
hat is the most important question
r the consideration of the Aldermen
disposing of the matter. la
In addition there are many other al
d important phases to the ques- al
IN to which the Aldermen should va
We the most careful and intelligent tn
Idly and investigation before arriv- Sc
3 at conclusion The present f. pr
ncial condition of the city, its abil- OF
to incur and meet the interest de
argos on an additional debt; the DIV
S in taxes that it would sustain ma
transfer of ownership or the wa ito
and light plant, these and other pc
asses of the question should invite se'
} most serious thought and earnest SID
ention before the city authorities an
oh conclusion as to the propo- are
on submitted by the local water Pr
light corporation. lyil