Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-02-17
AN INTERVIEW
WITH MAYOR STRANGE
Is inclined TO View With Favor
Proposition to Construct City's
Own Gas Plant.
THINKS 1T A WISE THING.
The Tendency Of the Times is Toward
Greater Control by the People Of
Agencies for Comfort and
Health.

interview with a Capital representa-
tive. that he was inclined 10 view with
favor the proposition that Annapolis
should acquire or construct IT'S own
! gas and electric plant II was large
ly due 10 his forethought and support
that Annapolis acquired the Water
Company.and that its municipal man
agement has been such a great success
/ from the standpoint of the taxpayers
and tine consumers. He thinks it is
entirely feasible and smnently proper
that the CITY should own and contrc.
the three public utilities of water.
gas and elecric current he MAYOR.
in discussing the subject said:
1T appears to me that il would be
wise for the city 10 I'D the gas ana
electric service to ats control Of the
water srstcn v this Z, "a be done al
this time N ahy reas )nable maaner.
All over the country cities of the size
of Annapolis. and many much larger.
have taken over as part Of the mani
cipal government these public uulues.
and there is no sound objection what
ever to these vital things in the COM
munity life being owned by the people
and managed Tor their sole benefit.
we have had a good object lesson in
the purchase of the Annapolis Water
Company The question of profits to
individual stockholders does not enter
into the serving of water to the peo-
pie of the city. and the plant as
revenue-producer is not put ahead of
the necessities and desires of the com
munity. Since it was acquired by the
city, it has been greatly improved
physically, operated at a distinct saw
ing in cost, and viii continue to grow
in capacity and sound management
until il is made as nearly perfect as
possible and to the financial better
ment of the community as a whole.
and, in the course of q few years. the
water plant viii have paid for itself
out of its own earnings, and the city
Will have complete ownership OF it,
clear OF all debt or encumbrance with
out-uvcr having paid one dollar from
its treasury.
Gas and electric plants could be
managed, By Pubic Utilities Board
of the city more economically than by
private interests. and those services
ought rally be joined TO the municipal
water system. AS a city, we are fur
nished our own water, and light fuel
and power ought to be furnished to the
municipal government and to the cit
liens in exactly the same way,by them
selves for the benefit of themselves.
While / have not looked deeply into
the subject of combining the three util-
tiles under municipal ownership from
the financial standpoint, il is not to be
questioned that better service, and. in
the end, much cheaper service. could
be had by the people of the city Mu-
uicipal control Of utilities in a COM
pact town like this is not at all likely
in graft or too expensive manage
ment Our people can certainly i'm
public view and responsive to public
sentiment. manage their own affairs to
the public satisfaction. Water. gas
and electric current are proper objects
of municipal administration There
was a time when large capital had its
own way and high finance was thought
indispensable to big public undertake
ings. but that time is no longer When
the Federal government regulates rail
road rates. and State Public Service
Commissions say what can be done and
what cannot be done by capitalists
who own the means through which
necessities of the home are provided.
We have taken a long step toward
right understan ling and rigid regu-
lating OF public utilities
The tendency of the times is toward
greater control by the people of those
agencies upon which they are coming
more and more to depend for their
comfort and health and their pros
perity It may be many years, and il
may be over that government owner
ship VIII extend over all these agen-
eies. But there is no doubt that in the
case of cities such as ours the most
important of the public utilitesi are
passing gradually into the hands of
those who alone should control them,
the people. for the benefit alone of the
people.
If there was no financial profit TO
be derived from the business Of gas
and electric companies depending
upon the sale of their product to the
people. and from the private holding
OF stock therein, there would be no in
centive to private ownership. There
may be cases in the larger cities of
the country although they are com
paratiyely few, where it may be best
FOR the municipality to depend upon
private capital 10 own and manage
these utilities. and where il is prob
able. because Of political and physical
obstacles. that the cheapest and best
mode of ownership and management is
the old one but these considerations
do not apply 10 Annapolis nor thous-
ands Of other communities Easton,
Cumberland and other Maryland cities
have found that municipal ownership
is far preferable. and a little reflection
ON conditions here in Annapolis viii
convince any disinterested citizen th6r
ii would be far best for US.
THE question for rs to consider is: