Morris tribune., 1922-08-25
THE SIGNIFICANCE on cUsTOMER -OwNERsHIP


We for" the Northern States Power Company.
That does not mean that using this editorial
to subscribers to invest in that companys
stock advertised elsewhere in this The adver
sements speak for themselves and the question buy
ing this purely business matter the MYERS
tor to decide for himself.
Nor does it mean that necessarily for the
company any controversy it may have to rates
power leases any other specific problem which
should be decided its merits.
But for" the company because it has turned
the of falling waters into electrical
gy which much more comfort and convenience
in hundreds of thousands of homes.
And we are "for' it because thru it's plan
er-ownership retained for the people the
ship which really belong the
people.
For millions of years. the energy of water powers
has gone BY Harvesting that energy and pro-
vding plants for emergency electrical
be distributed wide not before served
previously served by uneconomical local units.
The extensive of electrical appliances is taking
the drudgery of the home Besides that the
mission line the building of factories and
industries outside of the large CITY, and if there is
thing that will health industrial fe
it will be the decentraliZing of manufactures from
the large city the country communities where the
workmen own their own homes cultivate little
land and maintain normal view of their relation
ship society in general than that which prevails in
the socially stratifed metropolitan center.
The wide extension of transmission lines also means
the carrying of cheap to many farms-an enter
prise which quite improbable from the small local
plant
When thru system Of customer-ownership, the
purchases electrical current he buys from him
self When the people themselves public-servce
company should find all the advantages of public
ownership far making is concerned and retain
all the advantages of private ownership far efci
ency, economy and continuity of policy is concerned
The attempt regulate privately owned public
vice cororations has not been and never be COM
pete success. Too many things may happen The rate
making official may be improperly influenced in favor OF
the corporation he play politics and practically
confscate the property, he may super-regula
tory that all initiative and enterprise the of the
corporation is destroyed On the other hand the
tomer-owned corporation will really big
it's personnel while the public mindedness of the
will tend to keep the rates and earnings reasonable
basis Public service corporations in the past have
pended millions of dollars public approval by
methods which questionable indeed said millions
being in turn out of the but the customer
ownership plan public approval at what
ever to the public.
The main idea that we wish to get across is this
The and benefits of such natural
powers belong to the people, and the people have right
to have them developed and utilized for their
ing machines heat irons drive fans, ring doorbes
dishes, etc. etc. Someone, however must advance the
necessary capital and the agencies of production
and distribution. All this further extension oil
problems of the Internationally and
all to each-a problem made difficult as we be-
to the problem is the promotion of better understanding
and nothing better understanding than the
system of customer-ownershp.
If customer-ownership could be extended to every
publicservce corporation, there little left for
| the agtator to do.