Show i II I I I I M 0 o WAVE RECEDES Time The Country IJ Ia a Learning Ito Io Loscon Why Experiment Extravagantly and Disastrously Di Time The entrance upon a new year finds dads public sentiment In a more subdued and thoughtful t hou state on the thc matter of municipal ownership and operation of ot utilities The country experienced a sort fort of wao waco on this subject but the wave wac IK Is I receding It I has been b n some something something thing of n a fod and fads ads have ho to pos pea peaL 1 L ness cess some somo pretty good staying qualities Jf If f they arc nrc not miot swept away I The failure of Cleveland Cl to make n a of a n street car cor system s stet man managed I 1 n aged by hr the city ly Is n a cane caso In point that lint has excited much comment and much serious reflection And time the more tho ho people of that city reflect the less les lia liable 11 ble ide they seem scorn to be to mako mn o another effort in that direction i iI But this thle case cose only serves to illustrate I a n general principle applicable every everywhere cef whore where It I IB is a n truth that municipal I operation of ot all ni such utilities Is 1 expensive expensive sive sive to the taxpayer It I IB Is a truth that I all ni business whether conducted by the city or by a 1 private corporation must i ibe I be conducted with the same name regard for tor torI forI j economy the same regard for making the Investment self sustaining and an profitable I And nd It Is true whether hether It ought ou ht to tobe tobe I Ibe be or not that those who isho manage a municipal enterprise e do not n ot exercise tho the care In this shown in private rate vate enterprise The Thc tendency Is di dl directly recty to extravagance and waste and toward doing things s on a n lavish II Ish scale ale This In IA so eo notoriously true In enter enterprises enterprises undertaken by the government gov that tat the utmost watching IB in f necessary to prevent the treasury from being beig raided and wasted When it comes comeR to the municipality precisely oly the tho to samo same danger Is found The Th idea Is Inbred apparently that I whenever the time public undertakes any anything anything thing money la Is not to be spared Wages Va os and anti salaries are more thought of ot than harm the time cost of ot the Investment and tho the need nee of ot making n a business show showing Jug ing Men do not plan or think or work for tor the tw public with tho the same fame idea of ot conserving the interests of or the proprietor tor that they do 10 0 In a tt private enterprise Those fundamental difficulties l con confront co confront front every municipally owned enter enterprise enterprise prise e In the country And d the th feeling t Is JR now DO gaining ground that the city that undertakes undertake any scheme for fo fo itself must make a showing alongside of or any private concern concer that may rr offer ofer to ren ron render render ronder der the same Homo service There Ter la Is no sentiment any longer lo er in the time case eSO It I la Is laa Isa a matter mater of or business strictly The ho he pub pub Ho lie le have no pride longer longcr in the thought that they own and operate any utility If It the tho tax they th y pay to maintain It Is Ismore Ismore ismore more than would be the expense of or private operation And Ad all ni these considerations operate to force the municipal plant of or what whal whatever whatever ever name amo to make moke a 3 showing which In th time of or things things it I is most difficult difficult cult for or it to make hence hem e the time receding of ot the municipal ownership wave w c It gives away to perfectly natural and Inevitable conditions HI Ill t Republican |