The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1924-07-18
! OUR LETTER BOX
Mr.. Editor:

| NIL LuilOT.
The principle of government OF
municipal ownership is of itsel.
sound. That it apparently fails il
instances here or there is not due te
anything wrong with the idea as 6
whole. People make mistakes il
adding columns of figures. Only 6
fool would say there was anything
wrong with the system of arithmetic
We know figures do not lie. We also
know liars figure. 1t is well known
that liars have figured in Hamilton
affairs till the voters are merely a
figure head The figure head may be
of FURNISHED brass or an ivory pellet
1t also is fact that there are two
kinds of people in politics-one kind
are trying to keep the municipal ma
chine oiled, the other kind are follow
ing up with sand for the bearings.
The people have to stand the costs of
all the political brawls-the soft
pedal term-campaign
Why not take municipal ownership
as proposition out of politics alto
gether?
Those employed by the city to oper-
ate it's different branches, strictly on
merit-hired, fired or retained on
just that. Make it necessary in order
to get the positions, that every act
connected with the discharge of pub
lie duty will be out in the open, sub
ject to close scrutiny at all times.
1t does not necessarily follow that a
man holding public position would
thereby be subject to suspicion con-
tinually, rather, under conditions, be-
ing free from corrupt political COM
binations and the essential mudsling-
ing contests. An able man or woman
could work for the community in a
clean environment, much the same as
nurses, ministers and other organi-
cations. The main objections to any
thing that would be practically GER
tain of giving a just and honest re-
turn for the money spent by the peo-
pie through their officials, is just
simply this, such an arrangement
would put the hobbies or moose on the
necks of public office bandits. Such
bandits have just about as much use
for theft preventatives as whale
has for a telescope.
A few individuals in the city have
expressed the view that the city can
not compete with certain corporations
in the generating of electric current,
and that, therefore, the plant of the
city is operating on losing basis. 1t
seems strange that city like Hamil-
ton, always boasting about civic pride,
paved streets, chamber Of commerce,
a gradual but steady growth, should
suddenly fnu the milk of past nour-
ishment turned to water. 1t is a dis
gusting admission that the larger the
city grows the smaller is the pocket
book or contents therein. The higher
the taxes, the smaller the police
force In fact it appears as though
the only functions the city officials
will be able to maintain will be the
curfew, oil for officers pistols, some
nuts for the squirrels at the court
house, and as municipal luxury, the
swimming pool and the dog catcher.
How can private concern make
money where the city corporation fails
how can it get cream off of water !?
Some say the private corporation has
large resources. Why don't the city
of Hamilton be leader and advocate
the combined resources of the many
cities in the Miami valley be used
to erect a gigantic generating unit !?
The source of power could be water,
or if coal were necessary large con-
sumption would warrant low rates,
or further, let the cities buy their own
coal mines, oil fields or any other
scientific or practical means for Gre
ating power Each city to pay its
share, based on the kilowatt hour
basis charge, and each city have spe-
cial meters indicating their individ-
ual consumption of current.
Now let's hear the first bark of
opposition.
Yours respectfully,
ROBERT LIMERICK.