The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1916-06-04

we think we are worth. 1t is not a
local enterprise. In all fairness I'M
der Gods sun it is interested in moth
ing here but the dividends on its money
invested AS long as it operates legit-
imately it is entitled to a fair diyi-
dend But there is nothing else here
of interest to the stockholders of that
organization. It's treasury is not III
this town. It's payroll,-its real pay
Oils in New York.
The Sentinel knows the difference
between this kind of an enterprise and
a local enterprise that might be looking
for encouragement" The people
know it, here and all around the world
The Sentinel has been here long
enough to know it's insinuations about
the water plant are all unfair 1t
knows its editor does not take bath
so often as to cause fluctuation in the
price of the months supply of water.
1t certainly must have some little ap-
probation of the splendid water pres
sure for fire fighting. 1t knows the
prices charged are no greater than
those of other communities all around
us, and it knows, too, that the tax
payers of the community have return
eral thousand dollars to be devoted
to helping maintain government and
municipal improvement required of us
as a progressive community.
The Sentinel also knows that the
Mayor and Council sometime ago put
on a very large reduction in water
rates which is to be in effect at the
beginning of the coming year. 1t will
still make big profits. The Sentinel
knows also that the people can have
| further reduction when they want it.
The plant is theirs. The rates are
theirs to fix as they please. They have
The right to say whether there shall
be a profit-sharing rate or bare cost
rate. Mind you, they cannot do that
with the electric plant just now.
Maybe, we ought to encourage"
outside capital to come in and Shout
der this fine public utility in our water
plant. OF course, it is all wrong to
try to put the power and lighting util
ity on the same profit-sharing basis
for the tax payers. One cannot al
ways tell
The people of this community are
llOl lOohlliS lOl OppOl " HUI
Dire" the Cordele Electric Company, or
rather the Southern Utilities Corpor.
alton What they want is an oppor-
tunity to apply the profits on their
power and lighting utility to maintain
ing civic Improvement, charging the
usefulness of the public schools, and
tightening the burdens of the new en-
terprises that have to struggle hard
for a footing.
The water and light systems can be
used more effectively for "encourag-
ing" new capital than anything else
available A low rate on power for
manufacturing purposes is a great.
drawing card Many cities advertise
4 rate of two cents per killowatt hour
to attract new enterprises. If we had
our plant we could do it and then
have something more than hot air" to
offer the homeseeker and the investor
Let us say it again: Our lots are
cast in the sacred atmosphere of love
and loyalty for the advancement of
our community. We would not tear
down and destroy the estate of our
fellow. The citizen who would see
his community bettered, is too big
hearted for that. Let no one under
estimate the value of the water and
power utilities We have yet to hear
Of the first publicly owned lighting
| plant that does not turn back into the
| public funds an earning of conse-
quence. Ours will pay and pay we'll,
operated in connection with our wa
er plant. And as for murder" the
giant corporation that is operating
the plant here now would not miss us
if We were gone