The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-06
THE LADY OR THE TIGER"

The State Journal believes that If
the masses of the people Will get out
and express themselves at the polls to-
morrow that the hands of the city will
De upheld in maintaining city elec-
tric hight plant which will continue to
produce light for the city at q lower
price than corporations in the past
were willing to sell it.
A city does not need to make any
profits. The Edison company by the
competition of our own city plant, de-
spite that 1t will not be up to date un-
til certain improvements are made has
forced the Edison company to make q
proposition which it says is the lowest
in the United States. The Edison conn
pany forgets about Toledo, Ohio, Utica.
New York, and other places which have
lower rate. But our plant is good
enough in its present state to give the
people good light as far as it can and
to compel a corporation to cut its
price, as it says, to the lowest price
in the United States.
Is 1t not worth while to maintain a
plant that will do this much for us?
The value Of a franchise is enormous
and corporation capitalizes it at a
big figure.
The only way the city has ever
been able to capitalize a franchise is
not to give it away. but to keep it.
Mr.. Myers says that our municipal
plant and all municipal plants are
failures. We don't know Just what
constitutes a failure.
The Edison Light company in this
city is bonded for 100000, and it has
in addition issued stocks to the amount
of $1,250.O00. It of course wishes to pay
its shareholders something; although it
admits it has not paid them any divi-
dends yet. The bondholders seem to
get part of it and the rest of it goes
into improvements. Well the city will
do little improving now.
The Edison interests will be active
tomorrow in getting out votes against
the bonds. They have a financial in
terest in the matter. They want to
prove Topeka's municipal plant a fail
ure. The friends of the plant must get
out for the principle and for the city
and work for love of the cause"
Those who fear they may pay
higher taxes if we vote bonds should
bear in mind that if the city takes
500 lights from the Edison company
it will cost $25. 900 annually for lights
and we must give up the use of our
poles and wires.
If we continue the municipal plant
the operating expenses will not ex-
ceed $4,000; the interest on $4,000
in bonds will be $4,000, and the in
terest on the outstanding bonds, $2s.-
900. and for which the city has the
or total of $18,4O0 to be raised in
taxes against $4,000 on the Edison
plan. The city can set aside as much
above $1S,400 as it desires as a sink
ing fund to pay off the bonds which
should be made payable on or before
certain number of years. We are
paying the Edison company now for
81 lights $1,000 annuaI1y. This win
cover the interest on all the new
bonds necessary.
Attention is called to the numerous
Interviews in another part Of this pa
per. We could have filled the page
with interviews favoring the city and
opposing any backward step, but it
was sought today to use only inter-
views with those who were misrepre-
sented in the Edison's page ADVERTISE
ment going back into ancient history
before the people thoroughly under
stood the subject and before the elec-
trio light commission was appointed.
Many Of the signatures that were
secured a year ago were under the
representation that our plant was
worn out and would require $65,0O to
$85.000 to renew it. 1t is still doing
business at the old stand and the
commission says $4,000 is enough to
put 1t up to date for 500 lights.
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