The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-01-27
MAKE ELECTRICITY POOR MANS LIGHT.

The most daring claim yet made by the ru-
luth Edison Electric company in its fight against
the proposed bond issue oi $780, 600 for the building
OF an electric lighting plant by the city is that
municipal ownership is the poor man IS BURDEN
This statement night be accepted in city whose
public utilities wholly controlled by private
corporations, and where experience has been
had in municipal ownership.
But know better in Duluth. We
gas and water plant. We getting it's product
at cost Water and gas cheaper under city
ownership than they under private ownership
and instead of municipal ownership being poor
man s burden, in Duluth it has been found to be
the poor man S salvation.
The statement of the Duluth Edison Electric COM
panv makes burlcsque of their strange campaign
Do its officials believe that the people of Duluth
but kindergarten scholars in the school of pub
lie ownership If they are laboring under any such
halucination they to be ptied, for we have
taken a post graduate course the subject, and
we know not only why ought to public
utilities, but how to economically operate them
after do them.
We know that the public utilities that we now
own are run by honest men, whose hearts and
brains are in their work. and who are uninluenced
by every consideration save that Of the public
welfare
We know that politics. despite all declarations
to the contrary, have place in the councils or
administration of our gas and water plants.
We know that the tax rate of the city has not
been increased one cent by of owner
ship OF these public utilities.
we know that the management Of the water and
light department is not interested in the election
defeat OF any candidate for public office.
We know that extensions have been made in our
city owned plant in accordance with the growth of
the city and to suit the demands of those immedi-
atey benefited.
We know that there is no money taken from the
earnings OF public utilities to pay interest or
dividends on inflated value, for upon every dollar
expended for construction there is added it's equiv
alent to the value of the plant.
We know that what formerly dividends
received by idle stockholders are now reduced
rates enjoyed by all consumers Of gas and water
We know that the interest on bonded indebted
ness Of approximately $1O00OOO for a city owned
lighting plant will require less money from con-
sumers of electric light than will the interest and
dividends Indebtedness of So 800 900 for prac-
tcally the same sized privately owned plant
We know that will be able to make further
savings in the cost of manag cement of an electric
lighting plant by centralizng the business in the
management of our excellent water and light de-
partment
We know that all of these savings to be affected
by public ownership will enable the workineman
who now burns kerosene to have his home illum-
mated as brightly as his more fortunate fellow at
cost, with no profits to anyone but himself
And because know these truths we advise
the Workingmen of Duluth, whose cause we en-
deavor to faithfully champion in and out Of season
to vote for the bond ISSUE which is to vote for
municipal ownership, the success of which will per-
INIT the lights in their homes to burn lust little
brighter than they do today with much less tension
upon their purse strings