The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-03
Finance Committee Urges
Council Not to Cut Revenue
andThereby IncreaseTaxes.
WORK OF POLITICIANS,
POLLOCK DECLARES
Strong Argument Presented That
City Cannot Afford Reduction.
People to Decide on Mt
nicipal Light Plant at
Polls--Stormy
Meeting.

TRUGGLING with the whole ques-
tion of municipal ownership. the
Common Council, after one OF
~ it's stormiest meetings. decided
at 1916 o'clock this morning to
defer until Thursday night further
consideration of the s5-cent gas ordi-
nance. Earlier in the evening Council
municipal ownership proposition vio-
lently into the campaign kettle by
suggesting that the people vote upon
the question in the June election. His
plan IS 70, bond issue, carrying with
1t freedom to decide for or against the
whole matter Of an electric light plant
for manufacturing or for street light
ing purposes. Not all the members
seemed to realize that they would have
to meet the point squarely on the
hust!ngs, and they let 1t go IN their
campaign speeches for something less
than dollar gas.
Committee Reversed Itself.
When the original ordinance for a
flat rate OF IS cents was first intro
duced by Councilman Lynch, 1t was
promptly rejected by the Committee on
Light. Within the short space of a few
weeks this committee came forward
with an ordinance of its own. provid-
ing a scale of rates-90 cents for light
ing. So cents for manufacturers and
So cents where the monthly bills eX-
ceed $50
The Finance Committee recommended
that this be rejected. basing its opin-
ion upon the belief that the financial
the reduction and on the further fac,
that there is no direct evidence to show
that the city Is actually making q
profit out of the sale of the commodity
at the present prices. Subchairman
Pollard presented strong plea against
reduction. Nobody was in favor of 1t
| he said except few members of Coun-
ell who were seemingly not familiar
with the finances of the city. and who
failed to remember the effect upon the
treasury.
We had TO cut the pressing demands
OF the departments" he said. because
OF the lack OF funds and the desire to
keep the expenditures within our In
come. The only expert statement as to
the cost of manufacturing was made by
| Special Agent Bruce. and he informed
us that 1t cost s1.0S per 1000 cubic
feet
Ignorance Is n Disgrace.
| Chairman Minor, Of the Committee
on Light, and Councilman David Meade
| w i4llt SpOhc c1ONuCHliS civ il IChS ~
for reduction. Mr. Miner contending
that the increased consumption would
more than offset the decrease, and that
the people were entitled to cheaper
rates.
Claiming that 1t was disgrace tc
| the City Council and the public that
they did not know the cost OF manu-.
featuring, Mr.. White accepted as cor
rect the figures Of Superintendent
Knowles. and declared that the object
of municipal ownership was to give the
products at the least expense. without
speculating on the revenue. He sait
that IL the plant was owned by cor.
poration there would be no question as
to the amount profits earned.
Mr.. Lynch supported this end of the
argument. What Is the use of having
municipal plant" he said, "unles:
| you give the people the product withou
trying to make money on it?"
| Mr.. Hunsdon Cary did not believe the
financial condition justified cut II
prices. He said there were three state
ments us to what the Gas Work.
earned, and in the confusion he sug.
gested that it was the part of wisdom
| to remain on the safe side and moi
make reduction.
| Declaring with some feeling that hi
(Continued on Last Pace.l