The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-07-13
Address in Full
The Honorable City Council,
Gentlemen:

The Honorable City Council,
Gentlemen
| am herewith submitting my
recommendations together with ordi-
nances that will carry out such recon-
mendations relative to the enlarge.
ment of the electric light plant and
distribution system.
| know that you have had this mat
ter before you and that it has had
your careful consideration for sew
eral years, and feel that you are fully
advised of the essentials on the mat
ter.
| do not want to be understood as
attempting to influence you in your
vote, but do intend to lay before you
the result of my investigation and
efforts to secure what, in my opinion
is the best for the city of Hamilton
and it's people.
There has been much newspaper
publicity and other publicity giver
the proposition of purchasing electric
current, and also the building of the
plant. Most of this newspaper pub
licity, however, is not founded upor
facts, is full of misrepresentation anc
mis-statements, whether intentiona
or not, | am not able to say That
will be matter for you and the pub
lie, upon learning the truth, to judge
for yourselves.
A Subsidized Press
The action of the newspapers il
disseminating this information has
all the earmarks of subsidized
press; whether or not they have ar
interest in the controversy or in this
proposition, other than the public's
interest, | am not going to say as tC
what my opinion is. / did notice
however, that since this issue has
been before the city officials, that the
Hamilton Service Co., that is, Tho
company which is competing with the
city of Hamilton's municipal plant
is opposing the building of a new
plant, and proposes selling current tC
the city, has been eXpending a con.
siderable amount of money in adver
tising to reach a class of people, OF
class of power users, which we car
not and have not provided with elec
tric energy, all of whom, as you
know, knowing the city of Hamilton
as you do, its size, its business en-
terprises and users of power coulC
possibly be interviewed in a weeks
time without the expense of full page
or half page, daily or even weekly
advertisements.
Beckett Named Committee
Now | cannot go into all the de
tails of all our Investigations, al
our efforts, all our conferences, thai
is of myself and the citizens advis
ory committee, which as you will re
call, was not committee appointed
by myself but was appointed at my
request by Mr.. Thos. Beckett, presi
dent of the Chamber of Commerce
who | regret has been unable to take
part in the investigation and confer
ences by reason of illness, before
which committee all matters of ma
jor Importance, especially of the pol
icy of administration, all affairs o.
the city of Hamilton have been place(
and have been considered and acteC
upon. In all of these other matters
matters of fixing rates for the utili
ties, matters of making new gas con
tract, etc, there has been no evi
dence of publicity published by either
newspaper, for the reason that i
seemed to be the wish of the commit
tee that their action be kept in con
fidence and not given out to the pub
lie. That wish so far as | was con
cerned and members of the committe,
was always respected until the propo
sition of building the electric plan
for the city of Hamilton came up
and communication which was ad
dressed apparently to me, conta 'nini
miss statements and a demand upol
me was given out. ! have referenc
to a letter appearing in both papers
which communication | did not receiv
the original of, but received carbol
copy after it was published in tn
newspapers. On all other matter
placed before that committee | re
ceived the unanimous approval of tina
committee. Nothing, | say, of tina
character has been given any pub