The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-31
PEOPLES FORUM
Election of Superintendent OF the Danville
Utilities.


Editor of The Virgnan:
Sr-The city of Danville believes in NUM-
cipal ownership and operation of its water, gas
and electric plants, and they are fully justified
in this belief. These properties have been sue
cessfully handled for thirty nine years by the
city, during which time there have been but
two superintendents in charge of their opera
ton.
The present superintendent, Mr.. Frank Tai
bott has been connected with these utilities for
tWenty-four years. first secretary and treas
urer and later (since 1909 as superintendent,
secretary and treasurer. Annually for twenty
four successive terms Mr.. Talbot has been
elected by the city council without a single
opposing vote. though the personnel of the coun
Gil undergoes a change at least every other
year.
Today Danvile's utilities are known the coun-
try being, perhaps, the best managed
and most successful in the United States. The
citizens of Danville furnished water at
Sc 90 per annum, the entire supply being filtered !;
gas at 80 cents per thousand feet, which is the
lowest price charged in Virginia. except at Rich
mond, where the rate on coal is very much
lower than that at Danville; and electricity at
from l cent to 10 cents per knowatt, according
to the amount consumed.
In addition to the fact that these low prices
are charged, the public utilities Of Danville
during the ten-year term under Mr.. Talbot S
administration have turned into the general
treasury of the city $3S4,S1957, which sum has
been spent for paving streets. laying sewers,
etc.
The success OF this property now valued at
81 100000. 90 sum largely in excess of the
c!ty's entire bonded indebtedness) IN due pri-
marily the fact that these departments have
been operated on a business basis, and have
not been handicapped by politicians who desire
the property to be handled for their friends
rather than for the public good,
The city of Danville is greatly stirred by a
bill introduced in the house of delegates by their
Representative, Mr.. Bergman Green the pur-
pose of which is to place the election of the
superintendent before the people rather than TO
be selected by the city council 5 has been done
for thirty nine years past
( Mr.. Green argues that this office should be
filled by vote of the people. but he appears to
display personal anirnus when he leaves NUM-
Der of other city officials to be elected by the
council as heretofore. In support of his position,
Mr.. Green submitted petition bearing many
signatures. but this petition was signed by a
very large portion who not qualified regis
tered voters. and according to the Danville
pers twho have championed Mr.. Green's biiD.
by many who do not live within the corporate
limits and are in no sense owners in the city's
utilities Mr. Green further argues that Of
the planks In his platform was that he would
secure the passage of such bill the one he
has introduced. but on the other hand it was
stated before the committee counties. cities
and towns of the legislature by six or eight
of Danve's most prominent citizens, who voted
for Mr.. Green when he elected that they
had never beard that such a plank in
MIR Green's *platform, and that IL they had
been aware of such plank they would have
voted and worked against him, 1t is also true
that neither In the daily papers or by public
speech did Mr.. Green announce any such plat
form.
The city council, the commercial association
and the tobacco board of trade here all had
committees before the Legislative committee
protesting against the passage of the bill.
1t appears that some members of the legsila-
ture pledged TO the support of the bill be-
cause they look upon 1t local measure
and have been misinformcd by Mr. Green who
Is personal enemy OF Mr.. Talbot and does not
stand for the same civic ideals in Danville for
which Mr.. Talbot has been a conspicuous
leader. 1t would seem, however. that no legs-
lator could conseientously vote for such a per-
nicious and personal hill simply the ground
that the local representative wanted and had
done sufficient log rolling to give the bill some
sembance OF honorable standing Danville's
splendid record in the past and it's future out
look should give legislators pause. This valua-
BILE property should not be struck such a blow
as would mar it's usefulness and injure the city's
credit as shown by the sale of its bonds the
value OF which Is largely dependent upon these
Same public utilities. Should these utilities be
placed In the hands OF designing politicians or
Incompetent managers, they would soon go 10
the block and be brought up by private cor
poratons who would run them for dividends
and not primarily for the general good as has
been done heretofore by the city.
The fact that no other city in Virginia fills
i his Office by popular election and the further
fact that -Mr.-Greens bill allows various other
Offices In Danville. which rank In Importance