Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-26
THE ELECTRIC COMPAN-
les AGAIN

II
other communication from the
II Southern California Edison com
pany concerning the electric lighting
situation. Among other things, the
letter. which is addressed to the con-
sumers of that company, says:
That you may know the real mat
ter upon which you are called to vote
we desire to say that we do not intend
to enforce the 9-cent rate under the
old ordinance if the 7-cent ordinance
is defeated at the polls. In that event
we will put into. effect for one year
from July l, 1910, an scent base rate
for electric lighting service, with a
monthly minimum of rs cents, and Will
proceed with additions and extensions
in the usual manner, putting large
amounts of money into circulation
through the building of extensions, and
giving employment to hundreds of in
dustrious workers. This is an offer
which we have made to the city coun-
ell and it is right that you should
know it, to enable you to vote intelli-
gently upon this question"
We are advised that the other COM
panies furnishing electric lighting to
the city have issued identical state
ments to their consumers.
In substance the proposition is, as
we understand it. an offer to split the
difference between the rate at present
charged by the companies and the rate
fixed by the city council and to adopt
the 75-cent monthly minimum.
We are sorry that this proposition
could not have come before the public
before the matter was complicated by
the appeal to the referendum. In fact,
we regard the appeal to the referen-
dunn originally made by the electric
companies as a stupendous mistake.
If that complication were out of the
way II might be possible to take up
the subject and reach some sort of
compromise which would be fair and
equitable to all parties The PROPOSE
ton of the electric light companies
would, as nearly as the figures can be
ascertained at the present time, amount
to a saving to the people Of the city
Of about a quarter of a million dol
lars per year on the light furnished
them by the three companies now in
the field.
Inasmuch as the whole electric
lighting situation will probably be
changed within two years or a little
more, by the city bringing in the cleo
trical current from the aqueduct and
taking possession Of the public and
domestic lighting fields, it is unfortu-
nate that the short remnant of pri-
vate service to the city and its people
should be made disagreeable and pos
sibly more or less disastrous to all
parties concerned. The Herald feels
that a compromise even at the sacrifice
of some part Of the rate named by the
city council, which would prevent the
matter being tied up in court, would
leave a clear gain of a considerable
amount to the people and would pre-
serve peaceful and cordial relations be-
tween the city and the companies dur
ing the next two years, would be wise
for all parties. In other words, we
would rather see a clear and undis-
puted saving to the people of 4 quar-
ter Of a million dollars upon their do
nestle lighting rates for the next year.
with no appeal to the courts, no bad
blood between the city government and
the electric lighting companies, and
the companies proceeding with all
necessary extensions and improve
ments, than to see the rate of cents
insisted upon at the probable cost of
having the matter tied up indefinitely
in litigation; and all this with the
knowledge that within two years time
the situation will, by the progress Of !