The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-01-28
CITY OWNERSHIP NEXT.

CITY OWNERSHIP NEXT.
The city commissioners have turned
down the proposed heating franchise.
There is nothing left now, if we would
have public heating in Duluth. but
tor the business men who are inter
csted in the company that sought the
franchise to join with union labor
and other groups in an appeal to the
next legislature for the passage Of
an enabling act that will permit the
city to issue bonds for the construc-
ton of publicly owned plant.
The commissioners who voted
against the franchise fully and COM
l'ietcly represented the wishes Of. a
large number of people who were
against the ordinance, many Of whom
were not in a position to voice their
disapproval Of it without suffering
personal embarrassment.
Opposition to the franchise came
from persons Of various thoughts or
the question. A number feared that
mere sectional heating plant, pri:
vatcly owner, would prevent the cx-
tension of public heating service to
other sections Of the city until the
company was assured at the outset of
an immediate return:on it's, investment.
Others believed that if private com.
pany once got a foothold it would be
next to-. impossible for. the city to.
ever take over it's plant. That belief
is founded on past experiences in deal
ing with the street railway and cleo,
trio lighting utilities. Naturally the
advocates of the municipal ownership
Of all public utilities are against any
private grant at any time. They want
the city; to build plant and start
right out to give service at cost.
BY far the greater opposition came
from persons who were fearful lest
the holders Of heating franchise
would eventually do as: the street rail:
way people have done and. seek the
Jurisdiction Of the state after they.
once had possession Of the streets
and avenues III tho section of the city
they had picked off for service. An
effort was made to get a promise
from the applicants for the franchise
thai would bind them, their successors
and: assigns, to remain under the iur-
isdiction of the city in the event Of
the passage by the legislature of such
a law as tho street railway act, but
they refused. Their refusal killed the
franchise.
Commissioner; Merritt stated he
would never vote to grant franchise:
to private concern so long as the
Brooks Colcm:i law was on the
statutes Of Minnesota. 1t is stated
that nearly all the local people in.
tercstcd in tho proposed heating fran
chisc went out Of their way last win
ter to urge the passage of the bill,
which took from the city the right
10 control the street railway CON-
pany. That is the thing they be-
lieve in, and it is to the legislature
they would go in the event the city
attempted to regulate their rates or
their service in manner that would
not be satisfactory to them.
1t is not so easy to get public fran.
chises now as it once was, and the city
commissioners who voted against the
heating franchise are to be commend.
ed for the courage they displayed
in voting as they did in the face of
built.up public sentiment moulded by
the Duluth Evening Herald and the
business mems organizations that
were only too anxious to accommo-
date the interested persons without
regard for the welfare or convenience
Of the larger number of people who
would be denied public heating serv-
ice under such a franchise as was
considered by the council.
Let the people build and operate a
public heating plant as they are now
operating their own gas and. water
plants. Let us have public heat at
cost. We can get it if we all pull
! together and go to the next legisla-
ture with united demand for the
passage Of an enabling act that will
give the city the right to issue bonds
to build, not sectional, but a general
public heating plant that will serve
all portions Of the city sufficiently
populated to sustain such a needed
utility. That's the next move, and
I The Labor World subscribcs to it with
all its might.
Farmers are cutting their whiskers,
s. ~ A ~