The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1914-10-17
CITY COMMISSIONERS
STAND FIRM
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Continued From Page 1.
continuation, Of it's present exorbitant
rates for commercial lighting.
4. We are informed that at
meeting of the Public Affairs commit
tee Of the Commercial club. last week,
the attorney and spokesman Of the
Duluth Edison Electric company de-
fed the people and their city officials
to either buy their plant or build
competing plant, and that the COM
pany would fight In court and out of
court to prevent the city officials from
carrying out their pledges to the
people, or circulating in any way the
will of the people as expressed at the
polls. Wher such an issue Is pres
ented to us, all differences among
ourselves as to methods Of procedure
or other details are easily composed,
and we stand solidly for whatever is
considered by a majority Of us to be
nicipal ownership and operation of an
electric light plant Under such cir
cumstances, we do not consider that
the company or it's friendship in a
position to ask favors of the city.
No greater misfortune could berall our
city than have the news go out to the
world that its city officials We're more
subservient to public service corpo-
ration than they were to the people
Of the city.
It would be a great help to US IT.
the gentlemen, and other opponents
of municipal ownership at this time,
would realize that our course in this
matter. is marked out for us very
clearly, both by the votes Of the peo-
pie and by our personal convictions,
and we should not be pressed to vio-
late our official obligations in this or
any other respect.
Yours very truly,
LEONIDAS MERRITT,
Commissioner Of Public Utilities.
Mr.. Patr1clk's Reply.
Mr.. Patrick summed up his views
of the commissioners attitude in
these words:
commissioner Merritt makes a
mistake in classifying me as an op-
ponent of municipal ownership, which
I am not.
1.-THE objections which I have to his
plan are not those of an opponent Of
municipal ownership, but are simply
objections to the methods which are
proposed
Mr.. Burgess in his opening remarks
to the council went right to the nub
OF the situation. Equipped with a
copy of the business mems letter, he
demanded some expression from the
commissioners as to their intent on
the subject.
"As I understand it, he said, 1.-The
vote in 1912 was for the purpose
of issuing bonds only, and did not
provide for the construction Of. a COM
peting plant"
AS Burgess Saw 1t.
Mayor Prince interjected that ac-
cording to the provisions of the law,
authority is given the council to build,
whereupon Burgess reiterated that at
the time the campaign was conducted
1t was distinctly understood there was
to be another vote. and that many
persons voted with that in mind.
"The council has power to order
an election without a 10 per cent
Petition" he continued, land we want
the council to submit the proposition
as 'outlined in this letter to a vote
Of the people. We ask that the city
obtain the best offer of the Duluth
Edison company for street and COM
mercial lighting" H..
At this point Mayor. Prince inter-
posed with the explanation. that. the
city is, power1ess to regulate rates for
commercial, lighting.
Burgess resumed his argument with
the charge that rates compiled by ex-
perts in the city's employ several
years ago never. were published and
that any schedule announced now by
the commissioner of public utilities
would be pure. guesswork.
| Burgess vs.. Merritt.
! Am I right?" he asked, turning
to Commissioner Merritt.
you are not" the other emphatic-
ally replied. y
We'll, I'm as we'll posted on this
! subject as you are" Burgess said,
and I tell you there is a different
feeling existing now compared with
that OF several years ago. In justice
to the people and to itself the council
should permit the proposition to be
settled by the citizens"
! Responding to Mayor Princes call
Tor discussion, Commissioner Hicken
declared it would be wrong for the
city to make any concessions to the
company. We've given the Edison
people every consideration lie said
1 and we shouldn't stand the expense