Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1909-08-07
In Favor Of Owning Municipal Water Plants

Editor The Press: After reading your
article headed: Water Company Custom
RS Virtually Powerless; are Trapped" ;"
IN your issue Of July 3lst, one comes to
The conclusion that the people of Pleas
antviIle are tired of that bargain in Bar
yaintown. Judging from your state
nent of the case they are suffering from
he private ownership of one of the
public utilities water supply.
1t is good thing to realize we are
sick, and better thing to know the
:ause of our sickness. When one comes
o that part: "At much lesser cost
he Atlantic City Water Dept. would sup
ply the Borough with It's water if it
would 90 to the expense of laying the
main" 1t looks as though the people
should be content to remain sick pro-
yided the disease is toned down some.
To me this looks like a cure for what
ails us-"Some weak whisperings are
heard about having municipal owner
ship of a water plant That would cost
at least $4,000"
This surely is worth investigating No
doubt the people of Pleasantville could
borrow that amount at per cent.
year on municipal bonds, on which the
interest alone would amount to $1,000 a
year. Now, the corporation, who now
furnish us with some water, may have
borrowed $4,000 on which the customers
low pay enough for water to cover the
interest and profit besides with the
lnowledge that the people will never own
water system while they continue to do
50.
If the people can borrow and spend
$4,000 for school, they can borrow
and spend $4,000 to own and operate
water plant to supply themselves with
enough water which is more necessary
than the school.
Reader, would you consent to sell your
public school to private corporation to
be run for profit? Would the people
consent to sell their boulevard to a
private corporation to be run for profit
Why not strengthen these weak whisp-
erings until majority of the people de-
.ide a municipal water plant can be built
and run for use instead of for proft2
don't believe all would give their con-
sent as the owners of the present plant
would not vote to tighten their money
bags; their economic interests they now
measure by the rule, get as much as
YOU can for as little as you can give in
return" From the kicks" heard at pres
ent they have been successful.
Governors Stokes and Fort have under
consideration method whereby all towns
and cities of the State of New Jersey will
have their water supply governed by the
| State. These water systems Will be UNI
Ter the control of the people,
Why put them under the control OF
| the people if the following is true:
1T seems that the American people
| are proving themselves less capable OF
.ontrolling and guarding their own in
| terests and the government must act as
| guardian.
What kind of education have the Re-
| publican and Democratic papers been
handing the people to bring about such
| state of affairs? Hhaye they not had
the minds fthe people to mould these
many years?
No doubt the State could produce and
| distribute better water and more OF it
| and at less cost than the people of Pleas
| antville could with the limited means at
their command. Socialists hail this
| tendency toward such control with de-
ight." The Socialists want public own
| ership of the yater system and with II
they want Direct Legislation the lni-
tiative. Referendum and Imperative
Mandate to make it effective.
Initiative right of percentage o.
the citizens to propose necessary legis
lation.
Referendum legislation to be re-
ferred to the people as whole to accept
or reject.
Imperative Mandate right to re-