The Tucson citizen., 1902-01-14
1.-THE LIGHTING OF TUCSON.
Views and Interviews on the Cen
eral Subject.
Rochester Ford Shows the Power of the
Oitv Under the Present Franchise

The citizens Of Tucson are showing
profound interest III the question of a
municipal lighting plant. As taXpay~
ers, they realize that tn" decision Of
the council on this question means a
great deal for the city. There are some
who think. that the proposition should
be submitted to the people. 1t Is a
grave one and all seem to think that
the council ought to give the mat
ter due consideration, before they
make any arrangements to embark
| in the business of municipal light
| ing. ss.rr
! Mr.. Rochester Ford, who drafted the
old company's ordinance, made the
! following statement to Citizen Re
porter.
The Electric Light and Power COM
pany was in business several years
without a franchise When the time
came to draw a franchise | happened
. to be City Attorney and prepared the
ordinance with the utmost care in
my power. | had before me laws
from other places. the best features
of which | selected. and | attempted,
and | think successfully. to guard the
city against any possible exaction on
the part of the company. The ordn
ance provides that the company shall
always furnish light to the city ut
a reasonable price and that it snail
not have monopoly of the lighting
business.
in my judgment the city would
make great mistake to abrogate the
present franchise in order to pass one
prepared in the interests of the Elec-
trio Light company
"As a general proposition | am
fixedly of the belief that municipal
ownership Is delusion. The only busi-
ness that government or governmental
subdivisions should attempt under any
circumstances, is one the operations
of which are marked by uniformity
and simplicity. For instance. the mails
can be carried and water can be sup
piled, because of the permanent fea-
lures connected with these enterprises.
Where any business becomes liable to
change requiring the exercise of dis
cretion and prompt action unfettered
by red tape, it is supreme folly for
a government or city to undertake
such an enterprise. Many persons 20
whom the idea is new, advocate NUM-
cipal ownership and express views in
apparent ignorance of the fact at
the subject has been so thoroughly
thought over that certain considera-
tions are inevitably true.
The safest way of all for city to
do is to restrict corporations just IN
the way that the electric company Is
inNn txyf he Nr1i
that is to say, to make provisions by
which the service can be enforced
at reasonable price. This is all ,Iat
the city can ask and all that the cor
poration should be allowed to de- /
mand
The old saying is true one "ey-
cry man to his business" To conduct |
a business properly requires expert
1t Is impossible that any city coun-
Gil selected from inexperienced mon
who cannot give their whole time to
the subject, could manage any bust
ness as successfully as a skilled busi-
ness men. This, in brief Is the reason.
why governmental operations as an
almost inaVriable rule, cost many
times as much as similar work done
by private persons.
What is a reasonable cost for sup
plying Tucson win electricity is 4
matter that can be determined by in
vestigation and the comparison Of
prices in otherc--Ies. In my humble
Judgment it would be unwise for the
,ity council to enter into five years
contract or any contract with the Ele-
,tric Light company. The city has
low as just and fair a contract as 1t
could desire, namely, the ordinance by {