Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-01

conditions. The greater danger of turn
ing over public utilities to municipal gov
ernments arises from the fact that we
are not yet up 10 the standard of govern
ment in British cities.
I'VE found in England and Scotland a
high type of municipal government the
commission reports. Business men seem
to take a pride in serving as city cOun-
cillors or aldermen, and the governments
OF such cities as Glasgow. Manchester,
Brming ham and others include many of
the best citizens of those places. These
conditions are distinctly favorable TO
municipal operation. In the United States,
as is we'll known. many cities are not in
such favorable condition. 1t is charged
that the political activity of public service
corporations has In many instances been
responsible for the unwillngness or ina
bility of American cities to secure "A hign
type of public service. This charge We be-
lieve TO be true. However. there seems
to be an idea with many people that the
mere taking by the city of all its public
utilities for municipal operations will at
once result in ideal municipal government
through the very necessity of putting hon
est and competent citizens in charge.
While an increase in the number and i'm
portance of municipal functions may have
a tendency to induce men of a higher type
to become public officials, we do not be-
lieve that this. of itself. will accomplish
municipal reform. We are unable TO rec
ommend municipal ownership as po-
litical panacea.'
Conclusions.
The commission sums up its conclusions
under seven heads, follows:
First. Public utilities. whether in pub
lie or private hands. are best conducted
under system of legalized and regulated
monopoly.
Second Public utilities in which the
sanitary motive lafgelN enters SlOlld be
operated by the public.
Third. The success of municipal opera
tons of public utilities depends upon the
existence in the city of high capacity
for municipal government.
Fourth Franchise grants to private
corporations should be terminabe after
fixed period and meanwhile subject TO
purchase at a fair value.
Fifth. Municipalities should have pow
err to enter the field OF municipal owner
ship upon popular vote under reasonable
regulation.
Sixth. Private companies operating
public utilities should be subject 10 public
regulation and examination under "A sys
tenn of uniform records and accounts and
of full publicity.
Seventh. The committee takes 10 posi-
ton on the question of the general eA-
pediency of either private or public owner
ship. The question must be solved by
each municipality In the light of local con-
ditions. What may be possible in one To-
cality may not be in another. In some
cities the companies may serve the
public as to create no dissatisfaction. and
nothing might be gained by experimenting
with municipal ownership. Again. the
government of one city may be good and
capable of taking charge of these public
utilities. while in another it may be the
reverse. In either case the people must
remember that it requires a large class
of able men as city oiscials to look after
these matters. They must also remember
that municipal ownership will create
large class Of employees who may have
more or less political influence.