Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-22
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

an unjust principle. Yet what is an
extortionate charge by public service
corporation but a modern application
of the principle Of taxation without
representation? The people are not
represented on the board of directors
of the corporation, yet are compelled
to submit to the arbitrary charges i'm
posed for their necessities Of life or
go without. This is not right, equi-
table or just. 1t does not tend to make
satisfied citizens and community of
dissatisfied citizens is an unhealthy
condition.
The people of this city have wit
messed the growth of the Peoples Pow
er company and We have been proud of
its success. 1t is no longer an infant
industry. The people have contributed
so literally to its Golfers that it has
grown into a gigantic thing The
time has come when it should be forced
to show its hand, in order that an &C
counting may be had and a fair and
reasonable rate determined.
The bills submitted by this COM
pany for its products, show that it is
charging the average consumer at the
rate of II cents per kilowatt for cleo
tricity with some discount allowances,
making an average charge of perhaps
10 cents per kilowatt hour. An inves-
tigation will reveal that in other cities
a considerably lower rate prevails. In
the city of Cleveland, Ohio, as am re-
liably informed, electricity is being
furnished at maximum rate Of three
cents per kilowatt hour and from this
the rate scales down to one-half cent
per kilowatt hour for larger consum-
ers. These rates pay a fair return on
the capital invested. Other cities
throughout the country enjoy nearly
as favorable rates. If electricity can
be profitably manufactured and sold
at price 200 to 500 per cent lower
than we are paying, then our rates are
extortionate and should be reduced.
The proposed reduction in rate Of
fered by the Peoples Power company
amounts to a readjustment perhaps,
but in reality amounts to no substan-
tial reduction. l firmly believe that
a fair investigation will reveal that
electricity can and should be profitably
furnished at rate considerably less
than five cents per kilowatt hour to
small consumers. No community is
more advantageously located for the
production of cheap electricity than
this. Cheap water power is abundant.
Large coal fields are near at hand and
freight rates are low. The experiment.
al stage in the production of electric
ity is passed. The present owners of
the Peoples Power company are not
the people who braved the hazards of
the early development Of the field
They invested their money only when
the success of the enterprise was dem
onstrated. They are legitimately en-
titled to only fair return on their in
vestment.
AS to the gas rate. Several cities
in this state are fighting for rs cent
upon by consumers as fair. Few pro-
ducing companies in this state are
bigger financially than the Peoples
Power company. The efforts Of the
city commissioners to obtain this rate
are laudable indeed.
In view of the fact that almost ev-
cry citizen, male and female, in this
city is financially interested in this
question, and collectively and individ-
ually desire as low a rate as can be
obtained, it occurs to me that it is Of
| the utmost importance that this mat
| ter be brought to the attention of the
| people, and that some steps be taken
in informing the people on these i'm
portant questions. The people want
information. Few people in the COM
munity have intelligent information by
which they can determine what should
be a proper rate. The various COM
mercial organizations of the city are
interested vitality. If cheap electricity
can be guaranteed to consumers, it
would be an inducement to manufac-
turing interests to locate here, for
modern factories are principally run
by electricity. Every merchant is
anxious to reduce his overhead ex-
pense, and lighting is considerable
item thereof. l offer the suggestion,
for what it may be worth, that the
commercial organizations OF the city
take some hand in this matter. If the
Rock Island club, the Retail Merchants
association, the Rotary club, the va
rious labor organizations, and other
bodies OF citizens would bring this
matter up for special consideration OF
their members. and the public senti-
ment crystalized, great good could DO