172 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



numbers of the population. When it was first discovered that certain 

 industries were in their nature what have been called quasi-public, it 

 was thought that only a few industries were of this type. These were 

 such as the railroad, water supply, gas-works, and a few others of like 

 nature ; industries that all could see that their stoppage resulted in great 

 loss to the whole country. With the course of time the number of 

 these industries is tending constantly to increase. It seems that it may 

 be likely that the list will be so extended as to include all businesses 

 that are concerned with providing for the more necessary wants of 

 modern society. It is becoming quite clear that the delivery of coal in a 

 great city is one of the legitimate functions for the interference of the 

 government. So it is with the case of milk. These are things on which 

 the lives and welfare of the population depend. Any government is 

 justified in interfering in any case where the lives of the people are in 

 danger. This is simply the doctrine of common sense. 



In these industries that are becoming more and more quasi-public, 

 the duty of the government to guarantee their operation becomes appar- 

 ent. There seems to be no reason why the city should not operate its 

 milk supply. It is almost as important as that it should furnish a supply 

 of pure and wholesome drinking water. We are told by medical men 

 that typhoid fever is very often conveyed in milk as well as water. In 

 Glasgow two hundred cases of typhoid fever were traced to a dairy 

 whose cows had been drinking polluted water. It is probable that 

 aside from water the healthfulness of the population is as dependent 

 on the milk supply as on any other one thing. This is especially impor- 

 tant in the case of infants. The death rate of infants is much greater 

 than it would be if it were possible for the parents to procure a supply 

 of pure milk for their babies. Many cities attempt to inspect the milk 

 supply, but affairs in Chicago seem to indicate that the delivery also 

 should be guaranteed by the city government. 



Bound up with the checking of the infant death rate is a more subtle 

 problem. It has been shown that the death rate of infants, where it is 

 excessive, is a strong factor in causing poverty. The high death rate 

 of infants in the poorer districts tends to keep the people poor. Charles 

 Booth has shown by his studies of the poor in London that the death 



