The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1910-04-09
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
OF PUBLIC UTILITIES,
I Abstract of Lecture bv Mr.. Iohn 4
White.

W hfiG.
The question of public ownership
interesting m increasing numher Z
has become. popular, Is evidenced y
the increasing amount oi space IT &C
cupios IN papers, magazines an
books. Like all questions, II present
many phases This is especially tru
# II he considered from atandpoin
Of expediency
| \ danger il supposed 10 arise iron
the greater number Of public en-
ployes that would follow public own
ership OF public utilities. II is bel,
that injection of SO large power into
our political affairs would lead tC
much greater corruption Of publ,
life.
This notion entirely oyerlooks the
fact that these great concerns sre nj
ready in politics are III fact the
| chtef Factors OF our party govern
ments. Can it reasonably hc main
tanned that these enormous forces
| (t,ublic in their nature are less dan
gerous when IN irresponsible private
control, than they would he if brought
openly and JiSectly under govern
mental supervision? That they con
tain elements Of social danger cannot
| he disputed; The question, however, is
| not how TO eliminate al danger, but
what course involves least danger-to
| the people. just at present nearly
The whole street car service of New
York is being operated by the public
Bad private management made reeeiy-
crships necessary, and as a result we
have mot public ownership, but) that
utterly impossible thing, public ope tn
tiop. And, wonder of wonders, this
public operation was introduced be
cause private operation by our fore
most group of tiuanciers was com-
plete failure.
This question, like ali other impor-
tant matters, is best decided by taking
bread view of the situation. Public
utilities are different from other utili
ties IN that they require public act
as their basis. The very name they
have acquired is evidence Of a distinct
i've characteristic. Ifa man would en-
ter upon farming, mining or manufac-
turing he may do SO upon equal terms
with al others, but if he would sup
ply transportation facilities, or trans
NIT intelligence by telephone or teIe
graph, or would distribute gas or wa
ter-or oil, Tor that matter-through
pipes lie must first secure legal
grast This grant involves continu-
ous way on, over or through land.
The grant being secured, the grantee
possesses power (under the law not
possessed by every other citizen. and
50 becomes privileged party Equal
ity under the law is interrupted.
II Is often said that the law may i'm |
pose restrictions equal to the benefits
Of Il grant Of this kind, and thus main |
tain equality. AS a mere matter of
book keeping this is true, but human |
nature is II fact that must be consider
cd, and where power is once granted,
common experience, as well as histo-
ry, shows that by one means or anoth
er that power will be used TO the adj
Of the grantee. In fact, the
legal rule usually credited to Sir
Matthew Hale of England, who died
Christmas of l6T6) was restated by
Chief Justice Waite of the Supreme
Court Of the United States in the Illi-
nois grain elevator cases, as follows:
when one devotes his property to a
use in which the public has an inter
sst, he ID effect grants to the public an
interest in that use, and must submit
% be controlled BY the public. for the
common good, to the extent of the in
crest he has thus created"
In spite OF this righteous and an
,ient rule, that same court finds ways
o defeat every effort Of Congress to
secure control by the public, for the
common good" Of our great highways
If traffic, and judicial $29, 100000 IN
erruptions do not fare better. So we
write once more the solemn truth {
hat public grants are always danger /,
1tt |
The primary fact which takes public
Utilities out of the field or ordinary or
competitive business must be kept
learly in mind. It is this fact that {
makes legal grant necessary funda-
if the business is operated I,
y private agencies. Men discover
hat by diversifying their occupations
nd swapping their products. they can
ecure greater result. The swapping I
'rocess OF necessity involves path or
ighway. If, now, we assert that eachI
ne has right to produce and trade
oes it not follow that each one has a
ight OF highway That is, each man
as right to go across the surface of
he earth to visit or trade with his fel- q
,ws. Such being the case, any grant q
+ power over or in the highway to :
ome of the members OF a community,
yhich grant Is not equally enjoved BY
II others, must give to the guaran i
aes power 10 levce tribute, and to i