Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-11
cRANpsrANp POLITICS.

When the city council permitted tne
Ottumwa Railway and Light COMPANY
to inaugurate its present schedule OF
prices It invited the charge that 1t was
playing the cheapest and most trans
parent sort of politics. Commissioners
!, phillips realizes now that the solution
sNof the problem was an unfair one ana
n favors a revision of the rates. Com
missioner Menefee frankly says he Is
satisfied with the present plan regard
less of the question of fairness. May
\ or Leeny's view of the question, which
probably will decide the councils attf'
tude by a vote Of 2 to 1, will be learn
I'd when he RECEIVERS from his illness.
The course which the council should
have followed was clear IN the ex.
treme and the failure to follow that
course illustrates the prime weakness
chareeable to present day politics, not
only in Ottumwa, but all over Amer
lea. Too many men who obtain public
office seek to reward their supporters,
nunish those who failed to vote for
them and assure themselves Of support
In future elections by means OF grand
stand politics.
Some weeks ago the local lighting
concern announced that it was COM
pelled to raise the rates for its serv-
ice because of the increased cost OF
doing business. The councils ap-
prevail was asked. 1t should have de-
r manded an ineligible. certified finan.
cial statement from the company COW
ering the past few years and showing
it's expenses, revenues, capitalization
and the items of increase which were
the basis for the proposed rate In
creases.
With these figures the council
would have been able to judge the pro-
priety of the increases and to vote In
telligently on the company's proposal.
figures which presumably satisfied
!. the council that the increased rates
%were necessary we're supplied by the
company, but instead Of insisting on
. schedule which would have divided the
additional cost on the equitable basis
Of the service furnished, the council
endorsed plan which compels 10 per
acent of the buyers of electric current
No nav all the increase in electric
ates and permits 81 per cent to con-
tinue At the old scale Of prices. Mean
while the rate for city steam, a by.
,roduct Of the lighting company's
plant is Increased about 46 per cent.
IN operation which affects less than
100 patrons, many Of whom ara tneiud-
ed in the 10 per cent Of electric cur
rent users.
a Had the necessary increase been
8distributed in proportion to the serv-
j ice the company furnishes 1t would
have inflicted no unbesrabae burden
T ON anyone. Had the council insisted
on an auditing Of the companys finan-
cial report by an impartial registered
accountant perhaps the total Of in
crease might have been reduced. But
instead Of any such business-like
course the council chose that which
promised to ALLEVIATE minority of vot-
0V. Whether this choice was delfber-
ate is a question, to be sure, but not
Q very difficult one.
II this were community N which
the idle rich constituted 10 per cent
and the producing classes" 81 per
cent, this might be wise politics, al
sthough its wisdom would not Of neces-
sity make 1t fair. AS 1t happens, OF
tumwa's interests are SO interviewer
and its citizenship SO much Of an aver
age that the butcher or barber for in
stance, who finds himself In the 10 per
cent when he pays the increased bill
for electric current or steam at his
place of business, hobs up again in tho
81 per cent when he settles at the old
rate for the 81 or s. worth Of electric
ity he has used at his homo during the
month.
The merchant who finds his over
head expenses increased by the new
light rates is forced to boost prices
little and we of the 81 per cent find
ouselves in the end helping indirectly
to nay the additional rate. So, despite
the councils transparent bit OF poltt-
heal by-play the whole city must
share in paying the lighting conf
pauy's increased bills. The business
IKE way to arrange the payment
would have been by spreading the in
crease over the whole area Of service.
Then each patron would have been
paying directly for what he received.
WHERE THE GUILT LIES.
In viewing the Kaleidoscope round
81 crimes in Russia it is impossible
40 keep step with all the events that
a. <ha u;vhtmare history of