7–3905.
A study of conditions in many of the most famous industrial centers of the world lies back of Mr. Porter’s exposition. By way of a warning to the United States, he gives a brief history of Municipal ownership in Great Britain, pointing out the serious consequences of the indiscriminate pursuit of the system there. He says “Trading with the public credit, whether state or municipal, must, of necessity, lead to stupendous financial liabilities, add to the burden of the rates, weaken municipal credit, bring about inequality of taxation, interfere with the natural laws of trade, check industrial and scientific progress, stop invention, discourage individual effort, destroy foreign trade, establish an army of officials, breed corruption, create an aristocracy of labor, demoralize the voter, and ultimately make socialistic communities of towns and cities.”
| + − | Acad. 73: 108. N. 9, ’07. 1000w. |
“Partisan in spirit but useful because it is practically the first presentation of this side of the question.”
| + − | A. L. A. Bkl. 3: 103. Ap. ’07. |
“As a wholly partisan writer on his chosen subject, Mr. Porter is an unqualified success except as his zeal defeats his own ends.”
| + − | Engin. N. 57: 553. My. 16, ’07. 400w. |
“Mr. Porter has given us one of the most vigorous and readable books on this much-discussed subject. It is the work of an advocate but of an advocate perfectly sure of the correctness of his position and thoroughly alarmed at the tendencies he describes.” Wm. Hill.
| + + − | J. Pol. Econ. 15: 495. O. ’07. 600w. |