The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-12-11
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP
HOW WOULD YOU VOTE?
And Its Workings. J

Brattleboro will consider the creation and
impulse which would be given such on
CARNATIONS as city lighting department
with such conditions already in existenc{
as are exemplihed annually ON our csuJ
Gus and election days.
The Employees.
Under the management comes the sud
perintendent, foreman and other EN-
ployees; any one Of these dozens of Off !
GERS offers an easy mark for the ineti !
| Client hanger-on OF the political ring
They carry munihcent salary which i
the excuse for its attractiveness. Almost
anyone can hold position unless he i,
directly responsible to some competen,
head. II by chance one OF these emf
ployees has experience and knowledge o.
the WORK is he not easily discouraged and
dissatisfied on being placed ON par with
his incompetent politician assistant. VIII
a. -ot Interfere and refuse to offer adj
vice and otherwise depreciate the onlJ
practical experience in the organization
Is he not forced constantly to make CON
cessions, break rules, and carry out other
things contrary to his judgment in onie1
to please the political heads who could
authorize his expulsion without consider
alton,
Is not the whole organization from TOP
to bottom inadequate, inefficient and rot
ten! Are not his working neighboB I'M
congenial, lacking all of the qualifications
OF business relationships, doing the least
amount OF work for the greatest pay, etc.
The Service.
Turning to a question of service given
the general public we find the old maxim
OF the city fathers can do no wrong"
exemphhed when the people themselve
are owners: Under present conditions til
general public and everything connecte
with the services OF private corporatio
add their mite toward creating better se
wee and more constant and reliable su
ply The plant not compelled to depeI
upon Its income for support fails to sho
active business ability and good service
Is required from successful private o
ganization.
The Rates.
The main lack which water logs the Of
barge when loaded with exte1
1--WE construction, bad management and
operation, the last straw that breaks thu
'amels back, is the low and inadequate
ate which is the sole apparent aim of the
municipal endeavor and which without
Exception during the annals of history has
eventually brought forth financial ruin
n one recent comparison we find about
. per cent OF the municipal plants with
n certain territory receiving appropria-
ions from the tax fund to assist in pro-
lding the services which should have
zen taken care of out of operation, and
n many instances this fund would be
efficient to procure a better service from
private company. Comparisons of this
'lll be gwen in later issue.)
The Surplus.
Then comes the question of betterments
nd OF surplus to be set aside annually to
AXE care of annual growth and deprecia-
on OF the present properties. The inner.
ed pleasure of spending other peoples
honey in general will prevent this even
lough. a limited surplus may be retained.
low is it possible to secure an adequate
mount to be set aside as surplus to Gov
accidents, depreciation, renewals, etc?
The Deficit.
1t must be borne in mind that as this
modern industry makes
onderful advaneements each year that
,paratus which today is supposed to be
the best will in two or four years be
legated to the past and must be super
ded by more modern machinery Who
n tell what accident may happen the
,xt moment which shall call for the
lrchase of the new machinery or of &C
dents to people? We already know the
nditions to be commended with between
organization of this kind and any per
n who has grievance when brought
rience that little excuse is needed for
suit to be brought against the city and
len these various elements are COM
ned as a whole with no organization
rsonally responsible to bear the burden
such treatment, we have an accumua-
n of expenses for lawyers fees, dam
IS, etc.. which exceeds anything dream
of by both the city and private cleo
cal plant under existing conditions.
ORE THAN PRIVATE WORK?
lSULTS FROM AN INVESTMENT
,E A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOL
GR HEARING A FIFTEEN MIN
THE TINE AND EXPERIENCE
TIES AND FROM THEIR OWN
r POLITICAL AL, MANAGERS ARE
OR FAVORITISM? ~
JULD ELIMINATE ALI 49,
S, ETC, WHICH ARE BEYOND
CAN THEY CONTROL THE
KNOWN DANGERS ABOUNDING
HIP YOUR ELECTRIC METER
III MONTH?
AND IT'S INEFFICIENCY CAN
E SIZE OF OUR GROCERY BILL
BILL OR OUR LAWYERS FEES
i State Gas & Electric Company.