The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-12-13

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
real name and address Of the writer IN order TO
receive attention.
s.DoN'T KILL THE GOOSE" AGAINWE SAY.
Elsewhere we publish a letter
from Mr. W. Scott Harvin relat-
ING to his recent change Of rules
in his electric light system. He
says he is not trying to kill the
goose but only trying ito get a
few of the Golden Eggs that the
people of Manning have been en-
toying for the past three years.
The people Of Manning have not
been enjoying any golden eggs"
from the electric light plant for
the past three years; the greater
part of that time the service was
very unsatisfactory. and it has
only been since Mr.. Harvln sue
ceeded in securing an intelligent
operator that Manning has had
a satisfactory lighting system.
At present the service is excel
lent. and has been for months
past. There is absolutely moth
inc in Mr.. Harvin's letter which
can satisfy those who are inform
ed that an increase in the rate IS
necessary. There are towns in
this State furnishing equally as
good a system for even less mo-
ney, but most Of them charge the
so cent fat rate, and some give
anall-night service. Mr.. Harvin
refers to Columbia being able to
furnish the lights at 50 cents be-
cause of it's advantage of the
power from the canal, and says
IF we had a canal we could fur
nish the lights for 100 per cent.
less" We certainly wish Man
ming had canal; but progress
siveness means in this day of ac-
tivity the town should have equal
or better advantages than nearby
towns as an indacement for others
to come here, and progressive as
Mr.. Harvin claims to be, he has
induced our people to undergo
the expense of preparing their
houses for electric lights at a
price charged by other towns,
and then when they have done
this he raises his fat rate so per
cent, an increase ofs50 per cent.
above the rate charged at Harris
vile, Bennettsville, Darlington,
Bishopyille, Greenville and other
towns, someof them even smaller
than Manning, and none of them
having the advantage of Colum-
bias canal or any other water
power.
Mr.. Harvin disclaims having
any special privileges from the
town. Let the town order him
to take his poles and wires
of the streets of Manning,
and what would become of his
patronage? The fact of Council
giving HIM a permit to erect
poles and string wires on the
public domain makes his electric
light business, in a measure, pub
lie business, and not his own pri-
yate affair, as he seems to think,
and when he enjoys the privi-
lege of q monopoly and raises
the rate, the people have a right
to complain. To tell them if
they do not like it they can quit
will not do, because they We're
induced to make outlays for
wiring which they mightnothave
done had they known there would
be any spider, fly and parlor bu-
sinesS.
We do not think it necessary
to make reply to Mr.. Harvin's
statement, s:If Mr.. Appelt would
make one-half the effort to help
such enterprises in the town sue
coed as he uses to injure mine We
would have a much better town. :"
We are not trying to injure
Mr.. Harvin's enterprise, but
only endeavoring to prote c :
the public from being injured by
it, or, at least, we are doing what
apublicist's dutyi is, to use our best
efforts to,secure for the people as
good advantages for a price not
exceeding the rate charged by
other towns similarly situated.
We have no right to dispute
Mr.. Harvin's claim that his plant
is losing money, but we have a
right to the opinion, that there
must be a meter in his financial de
partment not recording accurate
ly-it must be slow meter and
needs the standard test" applied
to it. The power used for his
plant is also used for other of
Of his enterprises, with which
the public have no concern, but
then, what he uses there should
not be charged up to the public.
The whole sum and up-shct Of
the business is, Manning is about
to be charged more for electric
lights than other towns, where
the cost of operating an electric
light plant is no less than ours,
and, of course, the owner of the
plant may deem it to good bust
ness, to say to the patrons, 1T
is only left to them to decide. :"
They may feel, the medicine,
they mast take, but Mr. Haryln
cannot make them look pleased
IL . ! l.