Evening journal., 1912-06-25
PUBLIC
OWNERSHIP OF
RIVERFRONTS
Is Advocated That Ports CON-
merCial Progress May
be Impeeded
NO SOUOD ARGUMENT
FOR PRIVATE OWNERSHIP

PHILADELPHIA. June 25-In the
project Of port improvement now un-
der way in virtually every Atlantic
and Pacific coast State that has
hsrbor of its own, no feature stands
out with more prominence than the
general movement toward public
ownership and administration of wa
ter-fronts. The demand for pert
improvements is the logical result OF
an industrial prosperity that is now ap-
preaching its maximum under pres
ent conditions. and which must look
TO a material broadening OF CONNER
cial policy II succeeding years are
10 show an advance N keeping win
the record thus established. The de-
termination Of States and municipal
ties TO regain control of their har-
bor fronts is a long step In the right
direction
II Is realized now. whatever port
problems have been studied. that pri-
vate ownership Of wharves and piers
existing to any great extent, is an
additional tax upon the ports COM
merce stiles competition, encour-
ages monopoly and impedes CONNER
ciai proaross. Such a condition Is
antaeonistic 10 every phrase OF real
mort development or commercial ex-
mansion. and the present universal
tendency toward public ownership
and supervision is a direct blow at
such monopolistic evils.
Roadways are free to oil who care
10 use them Railroads are common
carriers bound by law to convey any
persons commodity who can pay the
fix6d transportation charges. Our
rivers and harbors are open TO all
vessels. Certainly there no sound ar
eument 10 be advanced In favor Of
private enterprise be It railroad or
terminal company. controlling the
.point where Of necessity the mode
lof transportation must change from
land carrier to water carrier, and
vice versa, and where such private
enterprise may az will favor one ship
per or carrier as against another or
refuse docking facilities to an in
dependent vessel owner while allowing
Ntho same privilege TO some other
Such determinations are charged
against private control Of port fa-
cilities wherever In exists.
A river and harbor front under the
management OF individuals or cor
.porations Is eventually manipulated
for the dividends Il can be made TO
produce for those individuals or
companies Power becomes concen-
trated IN the hands Of a few, and
coordination is substituted for COM
petition The destiny Of the port is In
their keeping. and through the ar
lbitrary fixing OF rates and privileges
commerce may readily be stimulated
or depressed What from every point
of law and economic consideration
should be public property ADMIN
istered In the interests OF the entire
community. becomes under such
conditions. special privilege In ma
lignant form.
on the other hand. port facilities
that are under the supervision and
control of municipality are not
operated upon the profit-sharing ha.
sis. but solely from considerations Of
sound economy. Favor and discrimi.
nation are eliminated, and the only
dividends expected are In the form
of a greater commercial Interchange
through that port because Of super.
for advantages offered every shipper
carrier and consumer only cndel
such a policy as this can port
be built up TO a high standard o
efficiency
Massachusetts. California, Louis
lana and other seaboard States have
appropriated large sums to regain
control Of the water-fronts Of theii
respective ports The right OF emf
nent domain has been legislated Z,
the branch Of the State or munici
pal governmet having jurisdiction
over the port, and the policy OF pub
lie control Of piers Is being put int,
effect as rapidly as possible. New
York City now owns more than hal
Of the docks and wharves In its har
Dor and is steadily acquiring the 9th
ers In Bristol, England, thn munici
pality owns the entire port and a.
facilities and every foot or it's wa
ter front
Since he was placed in charge o
the Department Of wharves an,
Docks. az Philadelphia. a little NOR
than six months ago. Director Geo
". Norris has conducted a vigoroul
campaign for the DEVELOPMENT o
that port, which is Pennsylvania'
natural outlet 70 the sea. In re
port recently submitted to the Mayo
and Councils Director Norris mad
five distinct accommodations as
general outline OF how that depart
nent might best be carried out. An,
be supplemented those recemmenda
tions with this statement:
These conditions can best be
realized by a publicly owned Rel
Line, and It will be my aim and pur
pose to accomplish these thing
as rapidly and completely as tn
available means will permit"
ANNOUNCE ENGAGEMENT.
Mr and Mrs. d. NJ. Lurge, Of No
East Front street, have announce,