The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-05-01
THE PART OF ALL GOOD cITi-
ZENS

OIntHnS OHereu Dy MT. Emmett hOD-
inson, and passed by the city council
at its last meeting is the following.
We think that it merits very care
full and special attention. Read it:
THAT the light and water commit
tee thoroughly investigate the cost
Of producing and furnishing electric
light and power by municipality
owned plant. with steam turbine, oil
engines and other modern methods,
including in such report the cost of
equipping and maintaining such
plants. including interest, sinking
fund and depreciation.
Third, That they be empowered to
receive bids, after due advertisement,
from private parties, for furnishing
electric light and power to this city,
to be furnished by the city to its cit
liens; to prepare. such specifications.
terms and conditions as will properly
safeguard the interest of the citizens
and the financial welfare of the city
and to require such bonds as will ade-
quately protest such bids and the in
terests of the city"
We must conclude that the city
council did not have these facts and
figures before 1t when it passed the
said resolutions, for If it did there
would have been no necessity for the
passing of the same.
We conclude. therefore. that it has
no such facts and figures before it
and until the same are ascertained
the council and all others are moving
along in the dark, in ignorance of the
cost of manufacturing electric power
per killowatt.
The passing of the said resolutions
by the council shows that it is moving
along cautiously, and in business
like manner and in the limelight, the
members holding themselves open to
the closest and severest inspection
If we have confidence in the intelli-
gence and integrity of its members it
seems to us that we should hold our
selves with patience until the COM
mittee makes its report.
When it has done so then we can
act with some degree of intelligence.
If the city can manufacture it's cleo
trio power cheaper than it can buy it
from the Camps or other private par
ties or corporations, it seems to us
that it is its duty to manufacture it.
That ends all argument.
If, on the otner hand, it can buy it
cheaper from the Camps or other par
ties, then 1t is its plain duty to do so.
The duty of the council is to serve
and conserve the interests of the
many without listening to petty, per-
sonal biases on the one hand or pre-
JUDGES, great or small, on the other.
1t is the duty of a public officer to
divest himself of these matters. In
the language of the court to the jury:
"0f fear, favor or affection" The
same business methods should be ap-
piled in the conduct of the city's bust
ness as in ones own business.
We cite an example:
We formerly operated our machin-
cry with a steam engine. 1t was op-
Grated under our personal supervis-
ion, but when the city put on it's day
current and we found out that we
could buy power from the city cheap
er and more expeditiously than We
could manufacture it ourselves, we
sold the engine and bought our pow
er from the city.
II was good business policy to do so.
1t would be folly to continue the old
way.
For one, we have confidence in the
membership of the city council, in the
integrity and bushes scapacity of the
several members and believe that
they will do that which they think is
best for the city from the view point
of simple business methods. In this
connection we desire to applaud them
for the caution and business-like man
ner in which they are approaching
the solution of this grave problem.
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NnTIHE