Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-12-24
CITY OWNERSHIP
OF UTILITIES
Economical Management Is
Impossible Under Present
Forms Of Management
PUBLIC INDIFFERENCE
Political Systems in Cities
Are Responsible for Ex-,
travagant Workings

So long as city, state and national
governments are elective, and admin
istered along present lines, the pub
lie ownership and operation of utili-
ties will not be economical to the pub
lie which pays the bills. The gener-
al truth of this statement can easily
be proven, and that there are rare
exceptions does not controvert it. Ef-
ficient governmental regulation,
where it is possible to obtain it, is SO
much better that only the careless
Indifference of the public can be CIV
en- as an excuse why there appears
to be a tendency toward public own
ership. To this might be added the
personal interest of the comparative
ly few who are directly interested.
But even this can be attributed to
the faults of the system; not to its
merits Only recently we have had
an example of governmental inefii-
cheney, in the manner in which the
stamps for the new war tax were not
distributed in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis, and no doubt other
cities, can furnish number of in
dictments of the tendency toward
governmental ownership and opera
ton in matters which affect the pub
lie purse. By those who have made
study of the subject, and who know
it's effects, it is stated that the policy
of this city in doing public work has
proven a costly experiment. Under
the system of doing city work by DAY
labor instead of by contract, laborers
are paid twenty-five per cent more
! than they can command in the open
market; they work twenty-five per
cent shorter time, and ae fully that
much less work while they are work.
ing. This means a higher rate OF
taxation, and those who pay the tax
es that go to support the city and
it's work are well aware that the
taxes are coming to be a considerable
burden The servant problem is not
the only reason why more people do
not own their own homes.
Every city dweller takes pride in
having his town we'll lighted, it's
streets paved or we'll cared for, it's
parks beautified, and is willing to pay
reasonable cost for these things.
But when he knows that they are
costing much more than they need
cost, that pride is tinged with other
and less pleasing thoughts. The pro-
gress of a city must come through
the prosperity of existing industries
and securing new industries; but new
industries will hesitate to make their
homes in a city where they are in
constant danger of being forced to
compete with municipal owned indus
tries of a like character; and those
already existing will be restrained
from making the extensions and i'm
provements they would desire to
make for the same reason.
III CiIy, as Ill SIdIc anu national
government, much is done that would
not be done were it not that those
who make and administer the laws
have their eyes out to catch the
votes necessary to keep them in Of
fee. This class of officials will, ap-
parently, favor any scheme which Of
fers a chance to furnish employment
at wages above the market to those
on whom they depend for reelection,
or which gives them an opportunity
to appoint friends to sinecures, and
they can always find arguments in
support Of their action, though they
are blind to the greater arguments
against them. Fair and well-enforced
regulation for public utilities owned
and operated by private enterprise.
and carefully supervised public work
done by private contract will produce
better results at lower cost, and
some day the public will find it out
and insist on policies administered by
men who do not look for political
preferment based on their ability to
pass out political plums.-Mississipp
Valley Lumberman.