Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-06-12

Enforcement of Controlling Laws.
Business and Politics When Partnsrs
Never Make For Progress and In
tesrity.
Nv Hon. WALTER a. WEBSTER.
The Oroblem OF municipal ownership
and of government ownership Is COLI
ing TO the forefront as an issue OF the
greatest Importance TO the American
people. A feeling Of unrest peryades
the community. 1t is the fashion OF
the day to criticise capital and capital
lists We are called land OF Unequal
ity. Our wealthy are designated
princes Of privilege. 1t is said that the
masses are being despoiled TO enrich
an aristocracy and that the press Is
stIfled and the government corrupt.
Ouasi-public corporations like gas
companies, electric light companies
street railway and railroad corpora
lions are particularly under the pan
of radical public opinion. Their
charges are declared TO be excessive
and their service poor, while many are
supposed to be overcapitalized and by
means of false bookkeeping to be max
ing excessive and enormous profits.
Where there Is so much smoke there
must be some fire. PROFESSIONALLY
evils do exist and in many instances
of an outrageous nature-eyils that
should be stopped and done away Win
forever No sensible man VIII dispute
this. So far so good.
But when it is declared that munich
pal ownership and government owner
ship are the only remedies for these az
fictions of the body polite /, for one
demand proof.
The burden of the proof is on those
who desire a change from present con-
ditions to public ownership to prove
that we should get better conditions
and be served In a safer and more sat
| isfactory manner or else show that the
conduct of the business that the city
or government wishes to acquire has
been so antagonistic and fatal to the
| public interest that the only feasible
remedy is public ownership. II TINS
| last position is taken, 1t should Include
| proof that the regulation will not sur
| fee.
The public in most communities IN
the United States doesn't have TO go
| into municipal ownership toiremedy
these evils. To confess Inability to
regulate them is TO confess inability to
choose proper men to represent you.
| The American people are not going TO
| be enslaved by any combination OF cap
ital for any length Of time. They have
their remedy in the ballot. They may
| stand 1t for a time, legislatures and
city councils may be bought, but soon
err or later little by little laws are going
to be placed upon the statute books
that will prevent overcapitalizatien,
that will prevent exorbitant prices be-
ing charged, that will curtail enormous
profits and make them reasonable and
that will compel our great public serv-
ice corporations to follow uniform
system of accounting and bookkeeping
that Will throw the searchllght Of pub
llcity on the financial operations OF
these corporations.
We have accomplished much In this
| direction in Massachusetts. We will
accomplish more. To say that we will
not is to say that we are incapable OF
self government.
The Industrial and commercial great
ness Of the United States far exceeds
that ever known at any time by any
other people In the entire history OF the
world. Liberty OF action and the I'M
trammeled liberty OF the individual have
made the modern world. Individuality
is the one essential to which Ovr civ
ilization and our social progress are ow-
Ing When the individual was crushed
nations lay PROSTATE or developed but
slowly. When individuality was rec
ognized, civilization grew to manhood
With individuality came originality
and invention. Freedom Of speech, OF
thought and action was the handspring
of originality. Thus far we have es-
capped the tyranny Of too much govern
ment, and If 1t can be demonstrated, as
it can be unquestionably, that al these
great public enterprises were original
ed, developed and perfected under q
state and social condition where the
individual was recognized 1t must be
proved that under a state OF partial
socialism equally good results can take
place.
The great public service corporations
are the product Of industrial evolution
and are one of the highest exemplihca-
lions Of what individual effort can DO.
They were started many years ago at
a time when their success or failure
was a matter Of doubt In every case
they were started not by cities, states
or governments. but by private indi-
Viduals in their private capacity as
individuals, as partners or corpora
lions They have been gradually de-
veloped from small beginnings until
they have reached their present size
At first their products were luxuries.
Now they are necessities. There Is not
TO be found among the great inveR
lions that have done so much to i'm
prove the lot Of civilized man single
one that was due TO government ini-
tiatiye. Governments never expert
ment individuals do. II they fail the
government never adopts the expert
ment, but If they succeed and are
placed upon paying basis then the
government. be 1t city or state. is will
ing to buy.
During the long process OF our In
dustrial evolution men have been grad
ually developed who have become tech
nicel sDeciaIists and who are thorough.