78 BERLIN: A STUDY OF 



and local affairs. It is to-day practised, both nationally 

 and locally, to a limited but steadily increasing extent. 

 Its scope should be extended, and the principle applied 

 wherever possible. Nothing but good can come of it. 



We have seen how admirably Berlin manages its gas 

 and water works ; how its street-railway system yields a 

 handsome revenue to the city and will ultimately become 

 wholly public property. Let us do likewise. Let us do 

 with our gas and electric-light works, for instance, what 

 we have always done with our water works. Boston could 

 well afford to purchase the property of the several gas 

 companies, even at the present high value of the stock, 

 and by supplying cheap fuel, as well as light, to the pub- 

 lic, at rates otherwise impossible on account of the divi- 

 dends that must be earned on large capitalization, she 

 would confer an inestimable benefit upon the people, as 

 well as obtain, if desired, a grand source of revenue; an- 

 other consideration would be the business and the popula- 

 tion which would be attracted to the city through the 

 conveniences of the cheap fuel that may now be obtained 

 from gas. 



Then let the city take the electric-light supply in hand. 

 The present companies with their conflicting interests 

 must ultimately unite, and then the public will have to pay 

 rates large enough to yield profits upon the great consoli- 

 dated and unnecessary capital. This is needless and it 

 will be folly to permit it. Numerous examples exist to 

 demonstrate how much cheaper a city can conduct such a 

 business for the public than can any private corporation. 

 Moreover, our streets and buildings are now disfigured 

 with wires and polee^ and lives and property are continu- 

 ally in danger from tho defective methods now prevailing. 

 With the city in charge, how speedily these things might 

 be straightened out! (Sep Appendix A.) 



