Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-01-10
WILLMAR IN TRI.B UN f
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP vs.. PRIVATE
OWNERSHIP IN WlLLMAR.

is not what it is cracked up to be by
the Tribune. We think the main facts
are as follows:
l. We have had defaulting re-
corder and the money involved was
especially electric light money.
2. Suit has now been brought
against ex-aldermen in an attempt to
show that they connived with the re-
corder and were thus responsible for
the defalcation.
3. The electric light service has
during the past year at least been very
unsatisfactory.
/. Many Of the principal. stores
have quit using the city electric light.
S. Collections have not in the years
past been attended to regularly; the
system has been slack
6. Hundreds Of citizens do not have
the benefit of the city water supply and
cannot get such benefit without paying
out Of their own pockets for extension
of water mains.
!. No one knows whether the city
electric light and water supply system
is paying expenses, or is putting the
city deeper in debt every year Ii
they do, the Gazette would be glad to
see what figures they have to substan-
tiate their position.
We are not against municipal own
ership, but the above mentioned points
are not a ''good thing for Willmar. -
The Republican Gazette.
l and 2.-These are no argu-
ments against city ownership. If
dishonest men are elected to of.
flee, the community will suffer
under any system, not least
where public service private cor.
porations are to be granted priv
ileges and be regulated through
the city council. Although the
most miserable conditions have
existed in times past in regard
to the administration of the city
plant, still it's possession by the
city has been priced so much by
the people that none of those who
have coveted the possession OF
the same have had the temerity
to make public campaign in
favor Of it's sale to some private
corporation. And, besides, the
files of the Gazette will prove that
it fought to the last ditch the
change in city affairs for an hon
est accounting. Even AFTER the
TRIBUNE had proven with cold
figures that old administration
had published FALSE statement
of the financial condition of the
city, the Gazette used all it's in
auence to reflect the men whom
it now holds out as conclusive ev
idence to prove that municipal
ownership has not been gooc
thing for Willmar.
3.-What assurance have We
that the lights would have beer
any better under private owner
ship? Does not the handsome
improvement made in the plan
during the past month or tw<
prove that under public owner
ship there is the quickest posi-
BILE response to a public demand
for more and better light?
4.-Experiments to obtain ;
cheaper light would have beer
made under private ownership
as well, but the fact remains tina
there is now being used more
electric light than at any time il
the past in this city. In 1896
"a year when John Otos was vii
lage recorder and an accurate &C
counting was made) the receipts
for electric light amounted tt
81, 49, rs and water rents, 1903.
%. In the year ending las
March, the receipts, not includ
ing anything paid by the city fol-
street lights or fire hydrants
were $8,O6O.17 for electri,
light and $3,l08.l9 for water
rents, or a gain in cash revenue
of $5,879.83 in the last fsca
year over the year 1898, whe1
all the stores were using thu
city'lights. The superintendent
informs us that at present the
load is the largest that the plan
has ever carried.
5.-The amount of money los
by the lack of prompt collection
since the turn for the better il
city affairs is very small. There
may be room for improvement
but conditions are not bad. The
Water and Light Commission an6
the City Council have the nowe1