Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-12
Our Electric Light Plant.

II was an English stage-setter and ram
maker who complained that somebody had
"stolen his thunder" He complained IN
vain. Let not the people OF Richmond De
caught in this unpleasant predicament. IL
we let our electricity pass from US now
and the action OF the Board OF Aldermen
last night suggests that possibliity-we
,aay CIV our ewes out hereafter and still see
no results beneficial TO the city as CITY.
II is the first step that costs. II Rich
mond establishes non an electric plant ana
lights her own streets. she will always
possess an electric plant. II she neglec's
no,c to do so, she will never hereafter have
the opportunity to perform her duty IN THIS
matter. If Richmond begins now to pre-
mare the plant, and finishes it as soon as
possible. she will control her own electric
LIGHTING as she now controls her water
works and her gas-iighting. But IL TOT
any reason she turns deaf ear TO her
public-spirited citizens who even now can
foresee what is coming and can forecast
her future. she will be controlled by the
electric plant, which she will 80 unwiseiy
have turned over to hands other than her
own. 1t will be too late to correct the
evil after the outsiders have secured posses
sion of this valuable property. II Rich
mond plays the part Of Farley the Porter
and hands the keys to the besieeers VINO
ply her with inducements almost IRE
sistible. she will surely repent soon her
treachery to her own people, and wish IN
ram for the mower 10 bar and bolt her
doors as they were barred and bolted De-
fore she listened TO the voice OF the
charmer.
This Is no new question. 1t came up
years ago in the shape of proposition 10
sell the gas-works. 1t is based upon the
assumption that corporation OF company
of men can furnish as goodlig as the city
furnishes, pocket large profit. and stu
charge US no more for lighting our streets
and our houses than we now pay. Why
ANYBODY should be misled into supposing
that Misrepresentation will operate in the
interest of anybody but themselves we
cannot imagine. Let the said spectators
be amongst the best and most heightened
even of our own citizens. and they will
1ook. as il is natural and proper for them
20 look, to their own interests. The city
must take care OF her own interests.
We might as well as not recognize the
fact that the people everywhere are begin
ming TO understand that natural monopo-
lies ought not TO be controlled-certainly
not wholly controlled-by anybody except
themselves or their servants. 1t was shown
in the New York Nation several years ago
that in England some of these natural mo-
uopolies we're being bought back by the
people who had unwisely disposed OF
them. The city Of Cincinnati is even now
considering a proposition to spend mil
lions of her money in order that she may
have the ownership of one of these natu-
gal monopolies.
We have eas-works. Who would turn
Ahem and the men therein employed over
60 q company, this company in turn to
use its power to control the city2 We
have water-works. Who would turn them
and the men therein employed over to .
company? We need electric-lights. Shall
we turn the furnishing of them over to q
company. ind have Ras-works employees
and water-works employees at logger.
heads with electric-light employees in re.
gard to wages. voting. bossing, and what
notP
II the electric-liebt plant is turned owe,
to O private corporation it will soon be
numbered amongst the opponents of city
lighting. II will fight for its life. 1t will
use all its men and all its means il the
effort to prevent Richmond from making
her own gas. Let the city fathers remem
Der that in this matter il is NOW OIL
never" Delay means defeat. A begin
ming. however small, means ultimate sue
cess, and q success which will prove to b.
rs grand as that which has crowned oul
efforts in behalf Of city gas and city water
We must not look behind, like Lor's wife
We must rather, unlike her, look ahead
10 the future-to what Is to be ours-no
70 the humble beginning, which we mus
content ourselves with. Let US have cleo
trio lights "of the people, by the people
for the people,"