The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-03-22
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 is
nothing short of SANDER We may safely broaden this gen
erazation read Persistent statements not based on IN
vesgaon CT facts anamount to deliberate alsihca-
ton
eve concede that the average yet very care
less in his assertions and that he nothing reprehenslDe
in being wrong But when being wrong in an assertion
works injury someone the asserter is morally but little
above common liar
During the past few years when public utility owners
and managers have been begging the public Tor elef from
excessively for rendered. there have been
numberles printed assertions by public officials to the
effect that existing rates high enough to yield TAR
return upon investments Even where appraisas by
reputable engineers and audts by accountants have Deed
assertions rarely have the asserters had the honesty
investigate the facts Instead their unusual practice has
been ignore all evidence and persist in their unproVaD
statements.
"To such pass has this form of immortality brought
things that several legislatures be asked to
rescnd laws relating to state regulation of public utility
rates When mayors and other public officials persist in
telling the public that street railways probably carry
passengers and cents, it any wonder that many
people have to regard state utility commissions as
being the tools of utility companies?
I'm the governor has ousted all the utility com
missioners because they incurred the Ill Will OF certain
people of rate increases granted to pubic u
ties In another state of the fearless and capable
utility commissioners has resigned apparently Disguised
with the charges made merely by mayors but by
newspapers that the commission has done notning
but raise utility rates unnecessarily II the engineering
societies such few years advance OF their
present development probably the public would receive au
hortatve expressions of engineering opinion that would
contradict and perhaps silence the false statements OF dema
gogic The time certainly oyerrpe tor protests
from associations of professional and business men against
the basess assertions and the selfish acts of politicians who
are panderng TO the side of human nature The
public would like ride street Tor nickel lhey
would like better ride for nothing Hence the public
only willing to be convinced but is halt convinced be-
fore any one spoken that the predatory railway kings
robbing them. The silence of men who know better
engineers business and edtors-s taken as evidence
that of the panderng politicians are true
at will not do to excuse ourselves from the duty OF
speaking and acting We have passed the buck times
without number until few passngs will lind us all
riding in the street cars as slowly and extensively operated
as the elevators in the typical city hail. America tace TO
face with municipal ownership OF street systems OF gas
and electric plants Steadily and with unreentng pressure
the economic life of public utility companies is beng
squeezed State commissions and courts are trying TO
be just but ignorant public is constantly threatening
them and doing all that it can to block their efforts Inc
ignorance of the public mainly ascrbaDle to the silence
of the who most competent to speak not only with
authority with freedom from selfish motves-the pro-
fessional engineers. 49,
whether there is to be municipal ownership of all uti
ties or 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 events there is SO little to choose IN
that respect that engineers body cannot be charged
with selfish motives in advocating tar rates for PuD
utility corporation services and fair treatment OF public ut
ity commissions. -
Apropos of the unsound attitude of most municipal Off
Gals relative to public utility quote from recent
address before the League of California Municipalities by
W. E. Creed president Of the Pacific Gas and Electric CO.
con the habit of Jumping at conclusions without know
edge of the facts, cite the official procedure when an
application for increased rates is filed.
The city council meets 1t forthwith passes resolu-
ton and instructs the city attorney oppose the appca
ton The city attorney issues his public pronouncement,
duly accompanied by photographs, saying: Il will fight to
the last ditch he raises his eyes to heaven and to
God to give him strength that justice may triumph and right
prevail.
"Never in all my experience, and have been in the
public utility business good many as lawyer and
as an executive never in all my experience have ever
heard Of read resolution by city council direct
ing city attorney investigate the facts and to
from those facts sound conclusion the public inter
Apparently public officials are not concerned
about the facts but awart nevertheless their
illusions.
A inquiry ought not to be adversary proceed
ing but should be mutual and cooperative investigation
of the facts proceeding the theory that either too
high or too low is injury both to the utility and
to the public"