Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1930-01-30

wake up, said Mr.. Stockwell, it will
be too late. The solution is through
public ownership plants in communi
ties like Pine City and larger ones.
1t is not in any sense socialistic TO
have public ownership of monopolies.
The forces of nature belong to all of
us.
Many Municipal Plants.
In the state of Minnesota 122 com
munities have public owned electric
plants and there are $500 such plants
in the United States today. Austin,
Owatonna. Willmar, Rochester and
Alexandria are good examples in this
state. Rochester is outstanding The
plant has completely paid for itself
out of earnings from current sold to
the people of the city and there is
now surplus of S600,0 with which
the city may build "a municipal hall.
Los Angeles has a very large pub
licly owned plant where the basic
current rate is 512c per XVIII and
scaled down. They do not shy at pub
lie ownership there, though it is
very conservative city. Tacoma has
hydro-electric publicly owned plant
and the rate for heat is &c per XVIII.
The mayor of that city who is one
of the biggest manufacturers there is
very enthusiastic for public owner
ship.
In the city of Seattle which has a
publicly owned power and light plant,
a pamphlet was gotten out for use in
the public schools which told of the
city and its industries. 1t contained
five pictures of the Puget Sound cleo
trio plant and also descriptive matter,
the latter plant being competitor OF
the municipal plant which is a very
large one and serving the citizens
well. Between 80 and 40 million dol
lars is invested in the municipal
plant.
Low Rate i'm Ontario.
In Ontario, Canada, where the Hy-
dro- Electric Commission of that prov
ince controls the largest part Of the
production. the average rate for its
twenty largest cities is Lee per XVIII.
In this country under private owner
ship, the rate is from two to three
times as much. The policy of the
commission in Ontario is to extend
the service to the hamlets and farms
with the greatest possible rapidity.
Their purpose is to make electricity
the handmaiden of the people.
A fXer for the Northern States
Power Company has tried to discredit
the Ontario public system. He show
ed the difference between Ontario and
Minnesota conditions and also be-
tween Ontario and Wisconsin condi-
tions, adding that if conditions here
were the same as in Ontario rates
would be different. The fact of the
matter is, said Mr.. Stockwell, that be-
fore the public took over the electric
power and light in Ontario in 1907
the rates there were as high as here.
Capital Charges Big.
With private corporations interest
charges are one of the biggest items.
Bonded debts are funded. There is
no prospect of paying up the bonds
that is the juicy part of it, keep loan
ing and keep many interested by buy
ing small stocks and bonds. The same
holds true of railroad bonds, gas, cleo
trio, etc. They are not paying up
their bonds. They want many little
fellows shouting for them for the
bats they get.
Comparative Rates.
The speaker made a comparison be-
tween Buffalo on the American side
and Niagara Falls on the Canadian
side, both getting hydro electric pow
er from the same source, the same
water. The current for each street
lamp in Niagara Falls is $500 while
in Buffalo the same identical street
lamp current costs $4,000. The same
holds true on the Minnesota border.
At International Falls where E. w.
Backus is king pin, the rate is from
&c to Toe per XVIII while at Fort
Francis on the Canadian side. with
municipal ownership, the rate is 21sc
per XVIII. Mr.. Stockwell added. land
this is the individual initiative that
we hear so much about
The Hydro-Electric Commission of
ontario. develops the power and sells
it to the cities and they in turn dis
tribute the current and also carry il
to hamlets and to the farms. thus
making for more development and
less manual labor on the farm. as is
also true to a great extent in some
of the European countries. Farmers
will not get electic light and power
to any appreciate extent in the Unit
ed States under the present system
The natural water power is here for
the use of all. and it certainly should
be used to-lighten the burden of those
trying to make a living-those who
have less of blessings.
Pine City-NOrwich Rates.
Comparisons between the two sys-
TENS of administration owns d
and public-as between Pine City and