The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-01-23
Live Questions in Seattle
AND
SagebruSh Philosophy



In answering Mr.. A. v Boufilon,
subject of Municipal Light asd
Power" / shall deal with principles
and facts as / sse them.
Mr.. BOuiilon denies that our mum.
clpal light ana power plant IN a fin
ancial success, and proceeds 20 Of
fer proof that Seattles light and
power plant has lost money for our
city. In paragraph four 81 his arti-
Gle. which was an address delivered
AT Seattle 10 the League OF Pacific
Northwest Municipalities. on Nov.
~. 1919. Mr.. BouillOn states: I'm
this comparison the matter OF re-.
duction in rates for the current
marketed r. not 10 be considered. 10
being OF the nature OF an outsido
question and not directly related 10
the point at issue. The claim made
by the department that IL has re-
duced the current cost. however
should not be passed without remark
The writer does not admit such
claim. but is OF the opinion that tho
reduction in rates took place as a
natural consequence OF Improves
nents in plants and in methods and
their application 20 local Industry"
There In one great principle which
Mr.. Bouillon overlooks. A cOliectiye-
ly owned public service institution
owned public service corporation
produces for profit In the nature
OF things. then. reduction in price
OF a given commodity produced for
profit n Incompatible with the in
tcrests having IL for sale. IL IL In
deed strange that all other private
iy owned public service corporations
In Seattle have increased their rates
or trisd to. while the charges for
light and power have been steadily
reduced since our city light plant
started operation. This question OF
rates is the one and all-important
question for consideration, because
II saves for the people that amount
which would otherwise be taken
from them as profit TO the owners
OF the public service institution pri-
vateiy owned.
Let us retain or restore the high
err rates for city light and power
and see how quick tho city's CONF
petitor will do the same. What.
would the result be? Could II then
bs figured that the city was losing
money by owning it's own light and \
power service7 II seems TO me that
when considering the question of the
success OF a socially owned public
service Institution. the rates charged
are very directly related TO the que
/ tion Of success. and constitute fiie
one great vital point at ISSUE be--
cause this IL the very object TO DO
attained. namely. production OF
light and power for use OF the pco-
pie. and not for profit to private i'm
dividuals who live far remote from
geattie, many of whom are aliens
living in foreign lands. The object.
OF the collective ownership of any
institution Of wealth production Is
20 abolish the exploitation and po-
iitical debauchery which naturally
accompanies the private ownership
OF those Institutions.
II Seattle's light and power plant
| is losing money, why do the peoples
enemies try TO prevent the extension
OF city light and power service into I
new districts7i Why do they not
allow the city TO extend the services
to the people at cost until we all
so broke by saving money on our
light and power bills7
Let us suppose that the city OF Se--
attic had never reduced the price Of
light and power. Could II then be
claimed that our plant was a sue (.
cess7 II the people answer this
question the answer must be no. but
| IL the enemies of ths people and tho
exploiting owners OF the city's COM .
lpeting institutions are allowed to
answer this question for the peo-
pie. they all join In the chorus and
shout. The city light and power
plant rs a success when Il charges
high prices because we then can ex-
plot the people, but when the peo-
pie produce light and power for use
IL abolishes our profit. and this In /.
not success .
Exploitation Is the enemy of thes
human race, and Is incompattble-
with the public good and general.
welfare II renders society into two
warning classes. the exploiting class
and the exploited class. 1t tears the :
home and family asunder and makes
mockery OF Christianity. 1t con-
signs our children 10 the sweatshop,
our women and girls TO wage siav-
cry or worse, and our men to the
army OF unemployed hoboes. while~
II makes robber barons OF the
wealthy.
Exploitation and profit have
gnawed the foundation from under
our temple Of justice. made of our
Legislators hungry wolves Cook at.
tho vicious work OF Senator Taylor,
from King county. In the present leg-A
isiature) and dociie feathered fowl.
and our executive the mere servant
OF destructive influence. Before the
people OF this world viii ever again .
enjoy the bounteous plenty of the.
earth, human exploitation must be-
abolished, in all its forms. and Se--
attlo's municipal light and powers
plant Is one OF the institutions that's
| is now on It's mission of abolishing"
exploitation, and II IL a success for
the people because II is a barrier
against exploitation and confisca-
ton. EDWIN ]. BROWN. (.