El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-09-28
WAR TIME is HARDLY A TIME To-
ALLOW INCREASES IN RATE CHARGES

THE city council the peoples approval by refusing
the coPanys request for authority to f1z meter
charge upon gas order provide reye
for the company The council held that the audit OF
the compauys books did not disclose real need for add-
tonal revenue 1t held that gas company has been
paying dividends upon watered stock needless Duroen
upon the In this view the committee Of near
" 100 housewives agreed very heartily This committee
had been investigating also and reported that the COM
pany plea Of advancing costs did not appear to be borne
out by the payroll OF the cost Of fuel
What steps the gas company may now take to increase
its Tevenue-for it still contends its application
tey just and well fOunded-have not been announced The
point evident is that the Of FL Paso viii
agree to any raise in rates By public utility until
they have been shown the application IS reasonable and
well founded The gas company did not convince them Of
the fairness Of the request
The gas company failed utterly to make a showing in
the opinion Of the council and Of the consumers and It Is
up the street company to be far convincing
if it expects to put over the sx-oent fare.
Corporations should not be made to lose money; city
afford to bring about such condition. Tor capital and
its investment is necessary to the progress and welfare Of
a community a nation But only fair return an
actual investment should be permitted and there should be
watered stock to take Of IN the consideration
In times like these If earnings cut down, the
poraon is suffering no more than the Individual Every
body has less these dasuness It be the munitions work
and lew other favored Of the laborng or artisan
cass-than before the We making sacrifices We
never made before and being called upon make
and shall be called upon to make still Then
there any why the corporations should bear
few burdens too? Is there why their divi-
dends should continue TO be made fat while individuals
WOTk and along and nep
eminent by buying Liberty bonds and thrift and saw
ngs stamps and aiding the Red Cross the Y ~ A and
other institutions for winning the war?
Many a business man in many community who was
making money before the war, viii be glad if he pulls
through without having to 60 into the bankruptcy courts
Many family VIII be glad If It weather the storm
all the clothes needs and all the food and fuel
requires, and at the time do what is expected Of
It and yhat It wants to do effort to help win the
war This is particularly true IN families where adult
male members have been called the colors and the
ing capacity Of the family has thus been greatly reduced
There then really for granting increases to
corporations in rates If they making expenses and
profit the investmeuton fair outlay that real
invested Even the corporations stand to lose all
their profits during the war, they not suffering
than the average individual for many individuals VIII be
ruined financially and VIII also give up their lives at the
same tine fighting. The who out at the end
the with much he had when it began VIII be
fortunate. (:
After this there Is going to be REIMBURSEMENT Of
things Then is time enough for corporations to talk Of
profits unless they prepared to show that they
actually losing money FL Pasoans do want
any Of their public service corporations to lose money
if they operating at losses fair increase should
and wiz be granted the actual cash investment is
established and the actual cost OF operation is proved
bat until then. Where there any margin Of profit
further burden should be imposed upon the people at
this time.
The has had many sins to stand for that not
been committed by the kaiser It looks many every
time person corporation feels like gouging
the public the is used camouflage behind which
10 hide. Il
But the has hit the rest of the people as well as