Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-03-24
Reads Like Atlanta
THIS EDITORIAL is TAKEN FROM THE
JANUARY 18TH ISSUE OF ENGINEERING
AND CONTRACTING, A MAGAZINE PUB
LISHED in CHICAGO.


"A charge persisted in without knowledge of facts
nothing short of SANDER We may safely broaden this gen
eralzaon read Persistent statements not based in
vestgaton of facts tantamount to deliberate fasca-
ton.
"We concede that the average man is as yet very
less in his assertions and that he nothing reprehenbe
in being wrong But when being wrong in assertion
works injury to someone the asserer morally but little
above common liar.
During the past few years when public utility
and managers have been begging the public for relief from
excessively low for services rendered there have been
nurnberess printed assertions by public officials to the
effect that existing high enough to yield tar
return upon actual investments Even where appraas by
reputable engineers and audts by accountants have beed
such assertions rarely have the assrters had the honesty
to investigate the facts Instead their unusual practice mas
been to ignore all evidence and persist in their unFoVaD
statements.
ITO such pass has this form of immortality brought
things that several state legislatures to be asked to
rescnd laws relating to regulation of public utility
rates. When mayors and other public officials persist IN
telling the PUBLIC that street raays can probably carry
passengers at and cents, is it any wonder that many
people have lcome to regard state utility commissions as
being th tools of utility companies?
In state the governor has ousted all the utility
mlssoncrs, because they incurred the i'll will Of certain
people account of rate increases granted TO public u-
ties In another of the fearless and capable
utility commissioners has resigned apparently Disguised
with the charges made merely by mayors but by
some newspapers that the commission has done nothing
but raise utility rates unnecessarily If the engineering
societies such states few years advance OF their
present development probably the public would receive
thortave expressions of engineering opinion that would
contradict and perhaps silence the false statements of dema
gogc mayors The time is certainly overrpe for protests
from associations of professional and business against
the basees assertions and the selfish of politicians who
pandering the worst side of human nature. The
public would like to ride street cars tor nickel They
would like better to ride for nothing Hence the public
only willing be convinced but is half convinced be-
fore any has spoken that the predatory railway kings
robbng them. The silence of who know better
engineers business and edtors-is taken evidence
that the statements of the panderng politicians are true
1T will not do to ourselves from the duty of
speaking and acting We have passed the buck times
without number until few passings will find us all
riding the street slowly and extensively operated
the elevators in the typical city hall America face to
face with municipal ownership of street systems of
and electric plants Steadily and with unreentng pressure
the economic life of public utility companies is being
squeezed out State commissions and trying to
be just but ignorant public is constantly threatening
them and doing all that it to block their efforts The
ignorance of the public is mainly ascribabe to the silence
of the who competent speak only with
authority but with freedom from selfish moveSthe
fessonal engineers.
whether there to be municipal ownership of all utli
ties not professional engineers will be employed Many
engineers think that their chances OF securing adequate
compensation better under public than under private
administration At all there little to choose in
that respect that engineers body cannot be charged
with selfish motives in advocating fair for public
utility corporation services and fair treatment OF public util
ity commissions.
Apropos of the unsouhd attitude of most municipal Off
cials relative public utility rates. quote from
address before the League b California municipalities by
w Creed president Of the Pacific Gas and Electric Co.:
On the habit OF jumping at conclusions without knowl
edge Of the facts, cite the official procedure when
application for increased rates is fled
The city council meets. It forthwith passes resou-
on and nstruct the city attorney oppose the appica-
ton The city attorney issues his public pronouncement,
duly accompanied by photographs saying Il will fight to
the last ditch he raises his eyes heaven and prays
God to give him strength that justice may triumph and right
prevail.
Never in all my experience, and I have been in the
public utility business good many years as lawyer and
-. III
heard Of read resolution by city council direct
ing city attorney to investigate the facts and to reason
from those facts to sound conclusion in the public inter-
est Apparently public officials are not concerned
about the facts but tawart nevertheless in their con-
illusions.
rate inquiry ought not to be adversary proceed
ing but should be mutual and cooperative investigation
of the facts proceeding upon the theory that either too
high too low rate injury both to the utility and
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