The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-19
HUNT. ANDLATHROP ATILT
SPIRITED DISCUSSION OF MUNICH
PAL OWNERSHIP OF GAS WORKS.


The Economic league meeting last
night developed rather spirited CON
troVersy between Aid Hunt and A. P
Lathrop, president and general manager
OF the st. Paul Gas and Light COMPANY
as TO the cost OF Illuminating the CITY
and especially the suburban districts.
The meeting had under discussion the
subject of Municipal Ownership which
had been pretty thoroughly discussed
both ways when the debate between the
two gentlemen came up. Aid Hunt "a
vored the city owning its plants, and to
impress the reasonableness of his argu-
ments that such enterprises could be
Systematically and profitably conducted
by the municipality he called attention
to the water works in st. Paul, and
then stated that he hoped within the
next six months to see a movement
launched which would result in the city.
owning its own lighting plant. He de-
clared that the present gas company ex-
acts double tht legitimate price for its
commodity and that the electric plant
received entirely too much for it's serv-
ices. Going further, Aid Hunt asserted
that the lighting company is arbitrary
in it's manner of conducting business.
He declared that it had refused to extend
an electric wire to the Merriam Park dis
tricts Ga benefit which the residents of
that portion of the city very much de-
sired), for arbitrary reasons.
President Lathrop, of the lighting
company, took exception to this speech.
He instantly arose and declared that he
"could not allow those accusations to
pass unheeded. Said he: "The reason
that electric wires do not go to Merriam
Park is that they could not be probably
maintained. and furthermore the city
council last spring took action prohibit
ing the extension of such wires there
Aid Hunt asked Mr.. Lathrop if his
statements as to the cost of gas. and cleo
trio lights we're not correct.
Mo- rtplied Mr.. Lathrop, .'they are
quite incorrect"
Aid. Hunt rejoined that it might not
pay the lighting company to put in this
Merriam Park wire, but the city would
find profit in it.
A motion by Ambrose Tighe to adjourn
the meeting gave an abrupt finish to the
debate which was just assuming a de-
gree of intensity.
S. R. Flynn, president of the Second
National bank, was chairman of the meet
ing The leading speech on the subject
was made by Ambrose Tighe,. who took
the side against governmental ownership.
He believed that it would entail unlim-
tied loss to the government, chiefly
through Acknowledgement. DIR. l.. Van
Dyke Robinson saw the same difficulty
arising from the political spoils system,
and deprecated the idea. Armand AL
brecht favored ownership by government
if civil service could accompany it. The
merit system is also an important clement
in the mind of Mr. Albrecnt. p j.
Smalley believes that this is a coming
question, and will soon demand general
attention. He thought that I've, as a
government, either locally or nationally
had not reached that state of govern
mental administration that would justify
us in assuming the control Of any more
systems" State Examiner Pope was
earnestly in favor of public ownership
In it he saw great municipal, state and
national advantages. He thought that
the moral cost ofs-such affairs should be
taken into account. For instance" said
he, sit is infinitely better for a munich
pality to control its large plants than
for the corporations to control the mu-
inequalities, as is the. case in St, Paul, to
a large extent - He declared that here
private corporations, overrun every right
and principle of honesty.