Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-04-13

demands OF the public.
63. Municipal ownership, as ruiz
provides better working conditions
shorter hours and better wages, thu
fewer labor troubles ensue. Strikes 4
municipal plants are practically III
heard OF.
"a. Chicago, Ill, made net profit O
S3.00S.200 on municipality owned waite
works. with rates about one.half thos
usual under private ownership will
the highest wages and best labor condi
tons OF any similar plants in the coun
NY.
o.. We would not think Of PLACING
our fire and police departments unde
private ownership for profit. These arr
for the protection OF property. Ther
why have our water departments op
Grated under such condltionsi This Il
the most important factor in the de
velopment Of the health and prosperity
OF a community and the protection OF
life.
&C. There Is a greater tendency to.
ward fair and impartial rate sched.
ule under municipal ownership. In a
water plant recently taken over Il was
found that many favored customers
were receiving special rates, while
others were paying a much higher rate
for the same service.
81. This special rate matter Is one
OF the ways In which political favors
and influence for rate legislation are
sought.
6S. Under war conditions, while
nearly all private owned utilities were
clamoring for increase In rates, So per
cent Of municipal plants maintained
their rates, and nine actually reduced
them.
60. The best governed cities In the
world are the cities where there Is
most municipal ownership. When a
city takes over its utilities II removes
the incentive to corruption.
40. Municipal ownership tends to dis
tribute the wealth and power OF com
munity and increases the democracy In
the industrial and civic life of the
people.
IL. During the last year, several
American cities have taken over their
street railway systems, and many
others ARE now engaged In appraisals
with similae objects In view. Nc
Graw's Station List for 1913 shows
$50 per cent Of all lighting systems In
the United States are municipality
owned.
". The municipal street railway
system OF San Francisco has made
true net profit Of over 81 1000, 600 In the
first five years OF operation.
73. Detroit, Mich, has reached agree
ment with street railway company ON
purchase OF the property. The city
wants to make sure OF adequate and re.
liable transportation facilities.
"A. Cleveland. Ohio, has demon
strated the success of municipality
owned street railway system.
20. "a franchise IL a prize for bad
government" is statement which can
Ne attested to by many communities.
20. Mr.. Francis j. Heney, in a public
address in Kansas City, February 8,
1912, sald after five years Of In
festigating the causes and cure for
,raft, l bring this one message: am
lriven to believe that the public own
,rship Of public utilities is the only
,ure for graft."-See Kansas City |
Times, February @, 1912, page /.
n. Official Investigations have dis
'losed that the campaign funds OF the
dominant political party and not in
frequently OF both parties, have been |
erived 10 considerable extent from |
'ublic utility mterests.-Report of Nd
ional Civic Federation on Municipal
nd Private Operation OF Public Utll.
les. pages $3.50 4142.
rs. Greenvllle Texas, Of about 10000
population, having municipal light
liant, comparing its service and rates
With cities OF similar size, but having
rivate owned utilities. showed saw
az TO the taxpayers OF $116,756.40 per
ear, or nearly enough to rebuild the
liant every two years.
40. The number of municipality owned
ght plants has increased from one In
SS1 TO 1909 In 1917. and there are
lany more now. The per cent of mu-
icipal plants has increased from 9.5
err cent to 80 per cent OF the total.
oV. iut itNuit VI NtNtu lnNeSllBu IlOnS
several hundred light plants showed
ne average rate for private plants
D.1007 and for municipal plants
Doses, or a difference of 10 per cent
l favor Of the municipal plant for the I
ime class OF service. I
81. The results Of 10 investigations ,
several hundred light plants showed
re maximum rate for private plants l
Ola and for municipal plants
)0S73, or difference Of 81 per cent |
! favor Of the municipal plant.
SO. The results Of five investigations $
several hundred light plants showed |
he average cost per arc light per year |
: $685. under private ownership. {
nd $59.02 under municipal ownership, I
: a difference OF 80 per cent. {
SO. The Civic Federation In It's 1907 {
port on the Chicago plant, concluded q
lat from 1887 to 1905 the cost OF cleo
ic lights used by the city was S743,- c
MIS- less under municipal ownership
lan 1t would have been under private
vnership, and In six years, from 1907 4
1912. after power was taken from
Ie drainage canal, the city saved a..
5000 on street lights alone, when