The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-02-12
THE PROPOSED ELECTRIC PLANT.

The reasons that wete advanced in favor Of
the establishment OF gas-works. to be owned
and operated by the city. are also those which
are now brought forward by the advocates Of
the proposition that the city shall establish
an electric plant Of It's own. OF these rea-
sons there are but two that are entitled to spe-
cial consideration.
In the fist place. it is urged generally that
the city can supply the people Of Richmond
with light at cheaper rates than private com
panies and individuals are able to do.
This statement is not borne out by the
experience which our people have had of the
operation Of the gas-works. Independently
of the comparison which is very naturally III
stituted in the popular mind between the rates
at which illumination by gas and electricity
respectively can be supplied, the comparison
being very distinctly IN favor Of electricity,
there has been a growing feeling of dissatls-
faction with the prices at which gas has been
furnished Even ii there had been no compe-
ton between gas and electricity. il Is doubtful
whether the people Of this city would have
been long content TO bear the burden of the
present city charges for gas.
Such has been the principal upshot of mu-
nicipal control over this question of light. 1t
has been q monopoly which has led to general
discomfort II there had been as much room
in this city for competition by private gas
companies rs there is for private electric light
and power companies, it is open to serious
question whether such an institution az our
city gas-wOrks would be in actua. ,yistence to-
day.
In the instance of lighting by electricity
there will be, as We have pointed ont recently,
far more reason to anticipate that active COM
petition will bring the rates down to the lowest
plane than there would have been if the light
ing of the city by gas had been turned over
10 private parties If Richmond proceeds to
establish an electric plant Of its own it will
do 50 in the face Of a certain prospect, that if
lighting the city were left TO private compa-
MES, competing among themselves, the rates
would be reduced much lower than its own
plant would be likely to bring about. II
would simply create a monopoly AT a time
when there would be a number Of private COM
panies prepared to carry out the purpose
which il would have in view. IL is idle to say
that such monopoly would subserye the in
terests of the people more fully than a circle
of active private competitors eager to underbd
each other in their anxiety to secure the pat
ronage of householders.
The second reason advanced is that the
city cannot afford to give up the income
which it has been deriving from the gas-works
and which would be- replaced By an electric
plant if the gas-works were forced into II de-
cline
In support of this position. it Is stated that
the general tax rate is lower in consequence
OF this income. In opposition to this, it can
be said that any income derived from city, cleo
tric plant, and the same is true in the instance
Of the gas-works, is an indirect tax upon the
the people who have to pay this margin of
profit. and they constitute the bulk of our
householders. 1t is practically matter Of
indifference to "a householder whether he pays
"A charge in the form Of gas bill, which is in
excess Of the actual expense 10 the city. or
in the form Of direct tax bill. The amount
OF money in his possession is diminished in
both cases just that much
The independent income whichlthe city en-
joys from its gas works is nothing more nor
less than an arbitrary though indirect tax,
which can have but one Justification, namely.
that the city can supply light at cheaper
rates than private companies. We have
sought to show how improbable the latter
supposition would be, if this was left in the
case Of lighting by electricity. to the compe-
tition of numerous private companies.