Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1921-11-11
INFORMATION TO
THE PULLS
WHAT ONE CITY THINKS OF
POLITICAL OWNERSHIP


have just voted 1913 to 296 not to
build a municipal electric plant, and
by nearly the same ratio, have voted
to continue the franchise of the Me-
braska Gas & Electric Company. The
following editorial appeared in the
Beatrice Express just prior to the
election:
A Business Proposition.
Gallons of ink have been spilled
in discussing the proposition to issue
$4,000 bonds for a municipal light
plant, to be voted upon at special
election next Tuesday, and the drift
of public sentiment appears to be
strongly negative. Aside from the
feeling that the burden of taxation
has already reached a point that is
practically unbearable, there is a
very decided suspicion Of inefficiency
and extravaganza in the government
al operation of public utilities, wheth-
er that government be national, state
or municipal.
Assurances that the proposed
municipal plant will be self-support-
ing, and that it will mean no in
crease of taxation, have apparently
failed to convince. The experiences Of
other cities in similar projects, to say
nothing Of wasteful experiments in
Beatrice, are not calculated to inspire
confidence. The burden Of proof is
on the advocates of municipal own
ership, and this burden they have
thus far failed to sustain.
Assuming that the bonds will be
beaten, as now seems probable, the
next question is the fate of fran
chise. A license granted the electric
company, twenty years ago, to do
business in Beatrice, will expire next
April. The proposition to renew this
license for another period of twenty
five years will be voted upon next
Tuesday, at the same time as the
bond issue, separate ballots being
provided for each. Great care must
oe exercised by the voter to avoid de-
feating the purpose which he may
wish to support.
"Ordinary business judgment and
commonsense would suggest that il
the bond issue is deemed unwise, and
the city refuses to engage further In
electric service, the franchise should
be extended unless there is some good
reason to the contrary. II the electric
company were charging extortionate
rates or rendering inferior service,
such conditions would unquestionably
constitute grounds for advocating .
change. But there has been no SER
ious complaint on either OF those
points. AS a matter of fact, electric
rates in Beatrice compare yerv favor
ably with those Of cities of like cless
where municipal plants are maintain
ed. The Beatrice rates are Identical
with those of Grand Island, the mini
mum here being so cents per month,
as compared to $l.o0 there, with a
slight advantage in Grand Islands
favor on cash discounts. Fremont
rates average 80 per cent higher than
those of Beatrice, with monthly
minimum Of $1.40.
Service is fairly good, and with
one exception, when transmission
line was broken by high wind, there
has been no serious interruption dur
ing the past two years. The company
claims that it has been handicapped
in securing capital for improvements
by the approaching expiration OF Its
franchise. An extension will remove
this obstacle.
another point that should receive
serious consideration is the recent
extension of electric lines from Be
atrice into adjacent territory which
can be served in no other way. Wheth'
err this policy could be, or would b'
continued by the municipality Is
very grave question. The tendency o.
mower plants in cities like Beatrice
to radiate their lines into adjacen
territory is doing much toward in
creasing the pleasure and comforts
of life in rural districts, and is
community enterprise that should no
be lightly abandoned.
ain the final analysis there ap
pears to be no sufficient reason 10
driving the Nebraska Gas e. Electri
Company out Of Beatrice and destroy
ing the value of property which pay
s4 900 per year in taxes, besides per
) forming an indispensable public SCI
vice. The city will have every possiDl
safeguard under the new franchise
exercising control over rates and SCI
vice and holding the right to eithe
grant competitive franchise or TAX
the Nebraska plant over under col
demnation proceedings at any tim
h The people have everything to gal
and nothing to lose by voting 'Ye
= on the franchise proposition. The
!. will reap nothing but trouble ar
tribulation from its defeat"