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

There are in Norwich, 335 domestic
age monthly consumption is "a kilo-
watts. Their average monthly bill is
$1.45.
The rate in Pine City is 12c per
XVIII for the first 3 XVIII per room
per month: Toe per XVIII for the next
3 XVIII per room per month: 3.Sc per
XVIII for the excess used in one
month. Minimum charge is $1.25 per
month. This includes power used for
cooking. and the rates are subject to
SO discount if paid within Is days
after billing.
On this basis a siX-room house in
Pine City consuming "a XVIII in a
month would be charged up approx
mateiy S6.21.
Electric current being so low in
price at Norwich one finds that the
women of that city have Is ranges,
% hot plates, 200 washing macines,
60 vacuum cleaners, 6 CRATES, 80 air
heaters, l ironing machine, 400 irons,
s refrigerators, 200 coasters, 200
grills. and 80 water heaters. House
hold drudgery is reduced to the min
imum in the little village of Norwich
Rate PrOhibitOry.
The electric rate in Pine City is
nothing short of highway robbery.
said Mr.. Stockwell. A municipal
plant would cut the rate one-third
tnn in n ho
duced two-thirds of the present rate
In Minnesota, one of the first things
that people should do, is to amend our
constitution so that we can introduce
the Ontario system of handling the
electric power and light question, and
than our master.
In the national field, we should
write to our United States Senators
and members of the House of Repre-
sentatives and tell them that we ex-
pect them to vote to keep Muscle
Shoals and not turn it over to the
Alabama Power company.
Current is generated by the govern
ment at Muscle Shoals and sold to the
Alabama Power Company, a private
concern, for less than 12c per XVIII.
1t is distributed by the private con-
Germ for 1Oc and down per XVIII
Talking from a national viewpoint
again Mr.. Stockwell said that 21%
of consumption pays SOC of power
income. Domestic consumption pays
too much
Regulating Fails.
The electric power companies ORR
ginally fought against commission
control but now that there is more
talk of government ownership and ac-
tually taking effect many places. the
power companies are for commission
control. Forty-seven states have such
commissions, but these public service
commissions have uniformly broken
down. The regulator is being regu-
lated by the thing which he should
be regulating. Massachusetts is the
only state that has a commission
which is functioning.
There are millions of dollars of fic-
titious values in utilities corporations
in the United States. The cost of
reproduction is the basis for rate
making There is no attempt to reg
ulate rates in Minnesota.
Must Amend Constitution.
Thirty-five years ago the farmers of
Minnesota asked for change in
wheat grading, being dissatisfied with
the manner in which it was handled.
The state bought a site for a terminal
elevator at Duluth on the harbor.
but the supreme court held that the
state could not build an elevator and
enter into competitive business unless
the constitution was amended. The
same holds true if the state was to
go into the distribution and sale of
electric current Mr.. Stockwell stat
duced a bill in the Minnesota legis-
lature giving the people the oppor-
tunity to vote on the measure to
amend the constitution so that the
state could develop hydro-electric
power and distribute it to state in
people of the state, but thus far the
bill has failed of passage. Mr.. Stock
well contends that if the state could
go into the electric power business it
would work as a club over the private
companies and have a great tendency
for them to charge only reasonable
rates.
Members of the Minnesota legisla-
ture should be pledged to submit this
matter to vote of the people Mr.
Stockweh said that it has been killed
by trickery in the legislature.
Speaking of how the power trust
edges in here and there with its
fixers and propagandists Mr. Stock
well cited the case of E A. Stewart.
employed in the engineering depart
ment of the Minnesota School of Agri-
culture, who wrote an Indictment on
the Ontario public system. He also
visited Europe and was getting s4OO
per month and expenses and drawing
salary at the state university.
A Long. Hard Fight.
Though it is long. hard fight Mr..
StOckwell saws he is opfimiStic Tho