The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-12-20
ELECTRIC LIGHTING
Municipal Ownership Proposed for tht
City of Shreveport.

In the consideration of the proposed
electric lighting of the city of Shreve-
port under the municipal ownership Of
an electric light plant, the question
should be discussed inteIligently and
without any feeling of personal mo-
tives, or of any antagonism towards the
Shreveport Gas, Electric Light and
Power Company.
We hold that a corporation is entitled
to and should receive the same treat
ment in equity as is accorded to the in
dividua1 in his personal rights and privi-
leges.
The proposed lighting of the city, un-
der municipal authority, is neither orig
inal nor novel, but has been Under dis
cussion and in review for years.
The subject was in active agitation
about five years past, when the renewal
of the contract for lighting between the
city and the Shreveport Gas, Electric
Light and Power Company was pend
ing, and which will expire in July 1917.
| A feature of that contention, pend
ing an agreement, was on the reduction
of the rates for electric light.
At that time Andrew Queries was
mayor of the city, who forced the issue
In this contention the Caucasian alone
gave him and the city administration its
support, and finally there followed an
adjustment on rates which has proven
beneficial to the people. Had failure at
tended these efforts of Mayor Querbes,
the rates unquestionably would have re-
manned to this day as they were years
ago unchanged.
At this time the Caucasian occupies
relatively the same position as five years
ago when it was standing alone urging
fair treatment of the lighting company,
but insisting that the people should de-
rive the greatest possible advantages
and benefits from the lighting.
As the Caucasian understands the
proposition being agitated today, it is
the erection and operation of an cleo
iris municipal lighting plant which is
not designed to compete with the cleo
trio light company, but it is planned to
obtain for the city plant that will Sc
cure lighting for the municipality at the
actual cost of production and which
may be used by consumers at mini
mum profit over the actual cost of pro-
duction.
Who will deny or question this right
of the municipality to the ownership of
its lighting plant?
1t is unnecessary to indulge in un-
pleasant reflections, but it may be noted
that the lighting company in their ad-
vertisement ito the public" in the two
newspapers, morning and afternoon
,(not the Caucasian) would leave the
impression on the public mind that the
lighting plant is to operate |
as competitor, which is a misstate-
ment, and in the advertisement pro-
ceeds with figures and one-sided
pleading to demonstrate the cost of such |
an undertaking, all of which is familiar |
to the citizens having in mind the mu-
nicipal plant for the city lighting indie
pendent of the now operating company |
Is not this advertisement as a dis
credit, throwing of cold water" on
the contemplated municipal plant?
With all due respect it may be OBJ
served that municipal lighting is prov
ing to be great blessing to communi-
Ties, and it follows logically that if a
corporation can operate plant at
profit, there is no reason to imply that
such plant would be operated at a loss
BY the city, and therefore all reliance
for lighting should be placed in the
hands and the keeping of the present
operating plant.
If some municipalities have operated
heir lighting at loss, others have de- /
the advantages of lighting
with profit, and there is no doubt that
would prove to be in that
class where the best advantages of
lighting are secured for such progress
i've communities.
The people should not be misled
The argument of the lighting COM
pany is apparent and is dictated by self
but We reiterate a corporation
is entitled to and should receive the
same treatment in equity as is accorded
to the individual in his personal rights
and privileges, and in that spirit the
right of the municipality to secure and
operate lighting plant should not be
questioned, at least by corporation en-
gagged in the traffic of lighting