The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-06-25
tsy PAUL ToMLINsoN, r

cal manipulation. The public
should realize this fact. for their
interests are those affected, and
it is fact that private owner
ship II ninety nine times out Of
a hundred more efficient than
ownership by g. government,
whether OF a city or a nation.
The case OF the railroads proves
this. Since the government took
them over rates have gone up,
and service deteriorated. The
public is paying more and get
ting less. Most people are be-
ginning to appreciate this. how
ever, and 1t may be that the pres
ent experiment in government
ownership is a blessing in dis
guise. We are learning Tint it
does not work. and finding it
out before all our industries are
affected.
In order that 81 public utility
may expand money is needed
and to get money credit is neces-
city, and its inha bitants. to see
that credit is furnished. There
are vast opportunities for in
creased business for public util-
tiles, but business opportunity
must be accompanied by politi-
cal intelligence to make full
realization possible. This is a
responsibility which rests in large
part upon our citizens and every
citizen of the United States is
vitality concerned with public
utility companies. Their inter
ests are inextricabIy intertwined
and public indifference to and
ignorance of conditions affecting
this class of companies are ser.-
Gus handicaps to their growth
and expansion. Cities can Scar
cely be prosperous without eff
ficient utilities and certainly
cannot be efficient unless they
are prosperous. II the utilities
are to be regulated they are en-
titled to protection.
utility is designed to serve. An
official of one OF the big com
panies recently went SO far as to
say that utility management is
q public trust. The public is
most assuredly entitled to be
seved at reasonable rates, but a
rate is reasonable only when it
allows the company a fair return.
In the case of transportation, for
instance, Ii IS easy enough for
any one TO understand that it
cannot be furnished at less than
cost. 1t is only just to expect
users OF transportation to pay
for the accommodations they re-
ceive. If a company is not al
lowed a fair compensation for
the service it renders one of two
things will happen; either the
company will fail and all SER
vice cease entirely, or the gov
eminent whence its franchise
comes will take it over and
operate 1t. Past experience
teaches that in the latter case
everything is In favor of a de-
ficit being acquired, and then
the people make it up in taxes.
The people have an enormous
stake in the public utility COM
panies.
Everything connected with
public utilities is not schrouded
In gloom, however. The National
government is taking up their
case. and ii is probable that a
commission viii be formed to
study ways and means of aiding
them, and their interests will in
all likelihood be better safe
guarded than in the past.
And because they are in need
of help does not mean that they
are on the verge of collapse.
Some of them have failed, but
companies are always failing in
every line of business. Public
utility companies with capable
management without which
should prove a recommendation
of great strength In the future.
The reconstruction period is nat
urally full of problems, but il
seems extremely doubtful if the
difficulties to be solved can be
as serious as those met and con-
quered during the two years
previous to this.
In this connection it may not
be amiss to quote from an art;-
Gle by the manager of one of the
big public utilities companies
which appeared recently in one
OF the New York papers.