Arizona republican., 1914-11-27
Public Ownership or Regulation

The discussion of the public ownership of public utilities. the Philadelphia meeting of mayors which we believe will be of the greatest influence on municipal government in this country, has been described "skirtng of socialism" Probably that was an apt description, but whether not there had been socialism, would by this time be at the same point where are with respect to the subject Of public utilities.
 We have been advanced toward it in the course of many years by the sghtedness of the earlier owners. whose doctrine that they had the right to do with their property as they pleased seemed first not unreasonable. One could accept ther service or leave it alone If the early owners had been fair and had been content with reason able profits, might soon have discerned the difference between serving very large num- Der of people and small number; if their growth into monopolies had deprived people of relief from their eXactions, their old doctrine would not have been controverted on the abstract grounds of socialism.
 The first proposal to regulate public utilities was described anarchstic. But, nevertheless we have everywhere regulation provided by the law and the law is the antthesis of anarchy.
 The regulation of the public utilities, however, is a different thing from the public ownership of them We must admit though, that public owner ship seems much than any form of reg uation seemed twenty years ago. The congrega- ticn of the and their representatives at Philadelphia has brought infinitely the whole subject. We will probably be forced in a short time go forward or to recede and take a definite stand-for a time in favor form of regulation that will to much the same public ownership. Probably very large major ity the people prefer and effective regula- actual control or ownership. If we could have the former there would be insistent de- mand the latter. But many commissions and municipal, which have charged with reg ulation have been proved to be weak
 If regulation has been effective in New York, Chicago or San Francisco, demand effectiveness those places is re-echoed through out the country, even in communities which have not been directly affected by the axity in those cities.
 From what have been able gather from the reports of the Philadelphia meeting, an account of which appears in this issue of The Republican it appears that a majority of the delegates, while not opposing public ownership seemed inclined accept only after the proved failure of regulation Mayor Harrison of Chicago, while asserting the necessary failure of regulation, regarded public ownership the shortest road to success and the one therefore the best to be travelled.
 It is interesting note in accounts or the dis cussion, absence of the old objections to public ownership or that form of effective control which would amount to much the thng-politics travagance and the ability of the people to help themselves. This matter alluded to only to be refuted. It is recognized that when public bodies or officials are held the strict account 10 the people that attaches private employees, their duties will be as well performed if by them selves, by their