The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-06-16
Weekly Letter on
Municipal Hffairs.
II. "PUBLIc VS.. PRIVATE OWN
ERsHIP OF ELECTRIC LIGHT
INGO

Copyright, 1900, by William S. Crandall)
THE day for fancy prices for electric street
lighting has passed. The biggest money
u has been made in this line. The rcformer
has been the cause Of the DOWNFALL His
slogan has been and is. public ownership Of all
utilities" 1t sounds well and appeals to the
popular mind, Prejudice against corporate in
terests pushes It along. The people urge its
adoption everywhere. They say it has passed
the experimental stage. Whether that be a
fact not success, disaster or indifferent re-
suits have one and the same effect. Simply 10
fan the fame OF popular approval Without at
tempting to analyze results, or TO form dis.
criininate judgment the people decree municipal
ownership a success.
Corporations are awakening to the need of
doing something in self.defence to check the
growth Of this sentiment. President Cahoop,
OF the National Electric Light association. gave
this warning cry In the opening sentence OF Lis
address, at the last session Of that body: u
doubt II there are in this whole association a
dozen members who realize fully the gravity OF
the present situation for the private ownership
of public utilities. The question Is taking on
a new form. Heretofore franchises have been
granted haphazard, and little, IL any, effort has
been made by the different states to follow out
any one line of policy with regard to either the
granting of franchises the operation Of COM
panies under those franchises. Massachusetts
ilS tdhcH u stcp, ana q long one, IN tne ulleC-
tion of what the future will bring about, and
that is, the regulation of all public utilities,
and the compelling of all such corporations,
| be they private municipal, TO render to a
| board OF commissioners an account in prescribed
| form at definite intervals. We cannot take .hc
| stand that ii is against public policy that this
| should be done it would simply be a case OF
| kicking against the pricks. There lie open
! before us two PATHS: Municipal ownership
| or private ownership under state regulations"
The goose that has been laying golden eggs
| for the corporation is dead. The maximum and
| minimum prices for electric street lighting are
| greatly reduced compared with the prices OF
| ten years ago For instance, the city Of Dan
villc ILL.,, about year ago, closed fve.year
| contract with corporation, which called for
| light at the rate of $50 per arc lamp of 1900
candle power. This is unheard Of where ccsl
| has to be used, as in this case The low price
| was due to competition, with popular demand
| for a municipal plant.
Whatever the explanation, the result was IA
vorable to the city And public ownership
| sentiment continues to undermine the interests
of the corporation, particularly so in the west
Although the profits in the business have been
| lowered to what seems to be the minimum, ye,
| the corporations multiply and appear to thrive
| They eagerly seek for business even under these
| conditions
As it is not to be supposed they are in busi
ness for their health, there must be reasonably
sized profit somewhere within their reach
| The smaller cities have been among the first
to adopt municipal ownership. Very few Of the
larger ones have indulged themselves in this di
| rection. Chicago, Detroit and Allegheny arc
notable exceptions. For the sake of comparison
group Of twenty-five cities has been selected
from among those served by private corporation:
| and those under public ownership.
| NO. l-PRICE Under PRIVATE oWNrPsuIp