The Lakeland evening telegram., 1914-05-27
SHALL WE SELF


interest Broher Meltons article in
yesterdays paper anent our water
ana llght plants. | want to take is
sue with him at several points and
incidentally state the case from my
view point.
|. Our public utilities represent a
very splendid series of values, or
they would not attract the eye Of
capitalists. There must be an enor-
NOUS prospect of gain to justify an
oHer OF around 100000" These
ought to be worth as much to us.
the citizens, as to Messrs. Cap. Plute
& Co.
:. The whole modern trend of
CIVIC lie, as it relates to cities, is
more and more in the direction of
municipal ownership of public utili
'les This is pre- eminently true as
II applies to water, light, heat, sew
erage, ETC. The wisdom of this course
Is justified by experience wherever
civilized man builds cities and makes
MS hablt2t. Can We afford to take
a retrogressive step just at this
time? St. Petersburg, our neighbor
and competitor for public considera-
ton as a resort city and winter home
place, is adding a municipal gas
plant at a cost of $1S5,00O to her
pHnil" utilities. In this connection
now Will il sound to hear that, sim
uItaneously Lakeland has sold out
even what she has to a private cor
poration?
j 1t is not the purpose of this note
TO discuss the relative value and
merit of public vs., private owner
ship This word The writer has
lived in both kinds of towns. His
experience and observation, though
limited, inclines him to favor public
ownership Jacksonville owns her
water and light plants, Jackson
vile users get current for docking at
: cents per X Tampas citizens pay
$ CT 10 cents Jacksonville citizens
get light current at cents with a
prospect of reduction to 4 Tampa's |
citizens pay 10 cents less 10 per cent |
for cash Jacksonville furnishes wa
ter also, if ! am not mistaken at a
better rate then Tampa. Ocala and
lakeland are similar in size, preten-
ioHs city wards and prospects. Oca-
a citizens get city current for fuel
1t ; and | cents, for lighting at g.
md twice in 3 years was the cost re-
iuced. We pay 10 cents here, with
10 discounts. We pay too much,
here's no question about that In
)cala the cost Of manufacture is
like . to 1-2 cents. Just
low, it is understood, some electrical
oncern has offered to furnish cur
ent at cents for $4,000 X. w. and
3-i cents for all over that, and the
rm making this offer says the
ity can produce it for less. If it
osts more to put the current on the
1ires in Lakeland than it does in
'cala, by so much. it is too much.
Again, if it is costing us more than
would cost a private corporation, I
is costing too much 1t is hardly
kelly that private company would
O into an Investment involving
100000 "for its nealth." Between '
he cost of production and sale price
sees fair margin of profit. It
My friend, Bro. Melton, Under $
ands that profits are now used
solely in extensions. Would a
rivate corporation consent to use
n the profits on its investment sole
in extensions? IT is assumed that
the city will sell out 'lock, stock o
I'd barrell," the purchasers will put S
gas and build a trolley Is it GER p
i'm we can't have these things un- a
IS We sell? The writer knows of d
le or more parties who are now a
ady to put in gas, just as soon as
e city will grant reasonable fran 5
Use. The trolley will come when A
ospective business Justifies it TO Il
me before, and as a result Of the cI
le of our valuable utility fran 81
Uses, would mean that its deficits A
1uld have to be made up out of =
offs from our tno longer ourl =
a |