The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-27
WHY VOTE AGAINST
 LIGHTING CONTRACT
Citizens Committee Issues
 Address to Voters
NEED NO CONTRACT"
Committee States the Contract Was Drawn by Company's Attorneys and Is Full of Jokers and
 Hidden Meanings

another address to the voters of Birming- ham in regard to the referendum election to be held Monday. It follows:
 ''To the People of Birmingham:
 "The members of your citizens commit tee feel 1t a duty to lay before you some of their reasons for opposing the new lighting contract with.rthe Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company.
 We have considered the contract care fully. We have taken expert opinion on it. We are convinced to the point of cer- tainty that 1t is a bad contract for the people of the city We have no purpose in this fight other than to serve the pub lie welfare. We stand on the same ground as other citizens, desiring, above all, the prosperity of our city and the good of its inhabitants.
 "The company's inslstenee that the 5 cent fare contract and the lighting con- tract are connected and should be con- sldered together is an attempt to confuse the people. These contracts are. in law and morals, separate and independent The cent fare contract has been legally adopted, and stands in full effect. The merits of the lighting contract Is the only thing before the people. The light ing contract alone Is on trial, Upon 1t alone has an appeal to the people been made. The lighting contract alone will be affected by the election to be held next Monday,
 Some Reasons"
 "The following are some of our reasons for opposing the lighting contract!
 "QD We need no contract fixing the price of current. We have never had any contract, but the rates heretofore have been fixed by the city council. The excuse given by the company for it's de- sire for contract isI
 Peace for a reasonable term of years, freedom from political strife and sufficient time to justify the company in making the heavy expenditures required for ex- tensions and improvements.'
 "This excuse is deceitful, The company started this row, There had been no po- litical strife on the subject of lighting rates prior to the cempany's demand for a contract, The company constructed it's lines and has maintained them all these years without any contract whatever, and if any extensions are made, it will be at an insignificant cost compared with the amounts already expended, No contract is needed to warrant the further small expenditure, The contract does not re- auire the company to make any extens sions.
 "(2) The prices for current should be fixed by ordinance, This Is in line with progressive municipal methods. Section 12e0 of the code of Alabama by ordinance. If the price Is fixed by contract, the cty's hands are tied for 10 years, If fixed by ordinance, the city will be left free to make changes at any time when cheaper current is offered or the circumstances justify 1t. When the new contract is rejected, we will cause to be presented to the com mission an ordinance reducing the price of current for illumination to basis of cents per kilowatt.
 "Ties City's Hands"
 "(3) The contract ties the city's hands for 10 years. This Is too long. Work is already being done on two water power plants, which will produce cur rent for trihing cost within short time We should not deprive ourselves of the right to buy current at re- duced cost when the opportunity of- fers.
 "(4) The pretended reduction Is in- IL T,. ceed from per cent to 15 per cent. The price Is not reduced in all cases The new contract actually increases the price to lodge halls, churches, schools, theatres and other buildings having q large number of lamps that are used only occasionally, Electric current can be generated with the cheap coal of Birmingham for 1 cent per kilowatt, The company is paying big dividends on a large capital stock based chiefly on wind md water and franchises donated to 1t by the city, These dividends have recently been increased. Current is sold for a basic price of cents in Mobile, for cents in Jacksonville, Cleveland Is about to install 3 cent rate. The company can make good profit on an cent basis for Birming- ham,
 "(5) The new contract permits the many abuses under which we have long suffered, The old methods of requiring deposits, of discriminating between cus- toners, of requiring customers to pay for constructing lines, all the old aute- cratic methods so characteristic of a monopoly. will continue under the new contract.
 Throttle Competition"
 "(6) The real purpose of the lighting company is to throttle competition. The company has already made special con- tracts with the large consumers, and has bound them to 1t for terms of years.