Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-04-22
CONCERNING ELECTRIC LIGHTS.


electric light in Salem not long since
The Capital Journal stated that they
were higher than they should be. In
order to arrive at solution of the
question and to demonstrate, if this
can be done, that the Journal 5 asser-
ton was correct, it has taken the trou-
BILE to get the figures on electric lights
and power on other coast cities, and
will as soon as they can be compared
and arranged, give the result Of its
examination to its readers, no matter
what the result may be.
The Capital Journal has no fight to
make against either public utility COM
panies or individuals. 1t realizes their
absolute necessity, recognizes the fact
that they must get fair returns on their
investments and are entitled to just
consideration and fair treatment. When
either company or individual engages
in business of this public utility char
acter, they are proper subjects for
Newspaper criticism, for commendation
or condemnation as the case may be.
In such cases the newspapers of a
community are in sense the people s
mouthpiece, and the peoples defenders.
It is for this reason The Capital Jour
nal has taken up the matter Of water
and lighting It has shown conclu.
sively that the water rates are from 80
per cent to 100 per cent higher than
in most Of the northwestern cities. 1t
will give some statistics or the electric
light matter in the near future.
However, soon after the Capital
journal first mentioned the high charg.
es for lighting, it received by mail a
very neatly gotten up pamphlet of 55
pages entitled "Defunct Municipal
Lighting Plants" eighth edition, 1918.
We have read it from cover to cover,
which is the highest, and in fact the
only compliment we can pay it, unless
indeed we compliment the nerve of the
electric light companies that paid for
publishing it, the gall of Arthur Has
tings Grant, who compiled and copy
righted it, and the cheerful frankness
of the municipal Ownership Publish
ing Company" that puts its imprint OF
it.
In the old times some one sapiently
remarked "Beware of the Greeks bear
ing gifts" and IL is certainly the par
of wisdom to accept this little pam
phlet's information with great dea
of salt, and a wide margin of allow
ance.
In the whole So pages there is not {
line concerning any municipal lighting
plant that was success, so IL will b'
seen that it is not fair statement o
municipal ownership, but is one-side'
story gotten up and published for tn
purpose Of deterring municipalitie
from going into the electric lightini
business. The expense of compilation
and printing was borne by electri
lighting companies. Whyi Were thos
companies going down into their jean
and spending their good money becaus
they wanted to save the dear peopl
from foolish Investments Did yo
over notice a company or gang of ther
breaking their suspenders in the inter
est Of the dear people' Well, hardly
The pamphlet was and is bol
bluff. It may be truo in fact, but
false in the idea that IL advances
picks out every plant that has faile
and presents 1t to you, in an attempt
make you believe, that all municipi
plants are failures. Hence "it is
bare.faccd lie, "
1t was sent to The Capital Journi
as an unanswerable argument againi
municipal ownership Of lighting plant
and is about as effective as wad fro
n potato gun. The Capital Journal
not advocating municipal ownership