The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1905-05-11
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP
The Light Committee Of the City CUul
Gil Recommended an Ordinance
for an Election.

At the session of the city council
Tuesday night the committee ON Light
recommended the passage Of an "rdi-
nance, providing for an election 1T which
the property taxpayers shall dec1dr
whether or not the city shall acquire by
purchase the electric light plant or shall
erect a new one.
The consideration of this ordinance
will take place at an adjourned meeting
fixed for Monday next, May IS
This is an all-inpo~lnnt issue which
should receive the fullest drliberation.
The spirit of municipal ownership has
been growing steadily, and if we mis-
take not, the majority Of the property
taxpayers would favor the control by
the city of the light Indeed the >cn>i-
ment is so strong in this direction that
the ownership of the water works plant
by the city is also regarded with favor.
Ten years ago such a sentiment would
have been impossible, but the citizens.
the consumers. have gradually reached
the realization that better advantages
will accrue to them through municipal
ownership of these public utilities. Nat
urally, the opposition can evidence
strong and logical reasons against
municipal ownership and may point to
the gratis in cities where these public
utilities are managed by the munclpali-
ties. 1t is true that in some cities there
have been gratis. but in general sense
the grating in municipal ownership
have been the exceptions 1t will be con
ceded. without argument. that dishonest
men are not limited to municipalities
which control the public utilities. The
great incentives to dishonesty and to
graft comes from men interested in the
requirement of franchises or privileges
from the municipalities This is not
intended to apply to Shreveport but is
the record of large cities whose councils
and mayors as well. have been tempted
by grafters and having yielded have
been corrupted by the tempters. One
of the strongest pleas in favor Of
municipal ownership of public utili
tiles lies in the fact that when
the municipality has no franchises
or privileges to give or sell. there
is then no opportunity left for the
CRATER and grating. This however, is
4 moral view Of the subject The qucs
ton which addresses itself to the COIL
suners is direct and personal as it
strikes their pocket. With men, except
the few, their heart is touched to the
quick when their pocket is involved.
From a financial and strictly economical
view through the municipal ownership
of the public utilities such as light and
water, is afforded to the consumers the
advantages of the minimum cost, which
is not offered by the individuals Or the
corporations owning and directing such
If the private ownership could
compete with municipal ownership, they
do not do it, but exact from the CON
sumers the maximum. in palmer words
all they think the consumers will stand.
1t is only when the municipality assumes
competition that the private AMI per-
sonal owenrship manifest a disposition
to scale their fixed rates, which may
again be increased after all competition
by the municipality is removed. The is
sue then as presented and as it will be
emphasized at the councils meeting next
Monday must be met COnservatlvely
but determinedly The property tax
payers should be given the opportunity
of declaring for or against municipal
ownership. There should be no effort
directed to evade or sidytrack the issue
Let the majority of the property taxpay-
ers who in such an election alone can
vote. decide. This is Democratic.