The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-10-27


VIII cost us $500 per year for renewals
and carbon, etc. Now, If you will add
these items together, you will lind
/ total Of s12 800 or exactly $3.50 more.
than the present company agrees to do
the same work for, with an all night
schedule and new and improved lights.
We expect TO hear some one advance
the argument that we can make up this
deficit by doing commercial work. Re.
member that the Ohio Light and Pow.
er Company has a 100000 plant and
can undoubtedly, from the fact that it
Is situated upon a railroad, do business
! cheaper than our own little $500
plant, and they will undoubtedly make
fight for their business and would
compel our little plant to do this busi-
ness at a loss, if it did any business
at all. OF course rate war might re-
duce the cost of current for while.
but remember that we own one OF
these plants and will have this loss to
pay along with our taxes. Pay part of
! our light bill at the treasurer's office.
Please bear in mind that the light
company has long franchise and we
can not law them out of business for
| many years.
| All of these figures are based on the
assumption that our plant will be To-
Gated at Riverside Park with our water
works plant, doing away with the nee
essity of hiring three engineers and
later three firemen when gas becomes
| too expensive to use for fuel. Also all
coal will then have to be hauled to the
park by horses and wagons, an addi-
tional expense.
| There are three reasons why we can
not make comparison between the
success of the city water works and a
city light plant. First, water is necessi-
ty and every person must have it. Not
one home in twenty is prepared to use
electricity. Second, this city is es-
pecially blessed by nature in having a
vast subterranean stream from which
it can cheaply draw a pure and salts
factory supply of Artesian water.
Third, Mt. Vernon has now and always
has had monopoly on the water bust
ness. We can hardly, hope for this in
our new business for the Ohio Light &
Power Company has a franchise with
many years to run.
If this bond ordinance carries the ci-
ty officials have no choice but TO sell
the bonds and build the plant even if
the present company would offer to do
our lighting free of cost. Don't be mis-
taken on this point and think that We
can use it as a CLUB to obtain lower
rates. The law is plain on this mat
ter.
The passage of this bond ordinance
will add 3 mills for interest and 5
mills for principal. total of 8 mills
or eighty cents per thousand per
year to our taxes.
The mills road levy is so excessive
and so poorly contrived that will give
| but few lines to its dangers. We
| are all of course as a general PROPOSE
ton in favor of good roads, but why
should We beggar ourselves for the
next five years to make up for the neg
lect of century. Two mills will raise
100000 per year in Knox County. an
amount much in excess of what We can
hope to get proportionate aid for from
the state For this would only repre-
sent one fourth of the total cost OF the
road 1t would take 100000 year
from the state to keep step with the
amount that the commissioners are
asking for for the county only pays %
per cent of the total cost, the township
and abutting properties 20 per cent
and the state from a 3 mill road levy
so per cent. In other words, the coun-
ty is asking for nearly seven times as
great levy as the state makes to pay
so per cent of the total cost. This vi
cious issue will mortgage your home
for one fiftieth of its value and alone
will add nearly 10 per cent 10 our TAX
burden.
The county fair grounds is a luxury
being used for only four days per year
If this is good thing, why not levy ii
all in one installment instead OF
spreading it over many years to gath
err interest? Can any right thinking
man advocate this while the West End
is still unprotected from flood; while
we need a bridge over the foot OF Nor
ton street so badly; while we are un
able to buy any new books for our pub
lie library; while We have not enough
money to pay for cleaning our streets
This issue will only add trifie to ouI
taxes, but the question is do we neec
it. Let us all remember the motto ol
the late lamented Huck Finn: Meat
first and spoon victuals afterwards"
OF course the argument will be
} made that the passage of these issues