Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-04-06

q
mayors in the st. Paul hotel re-
Gently on this question offered
much thought which will be of
interest to many of our readers.
The governor in his usual straight
forward manner asks public rule
of utilities.
In his address, Governor Olsen
said:
The average cost of residence
electricity in Ontario under pub
lie ownership is ~ cents kilo-
watt hour while In the United
States, under private ownership,
the average cost is 7 cents.
The people have surrendered
their most vital business under
the false doctrine of private in
itative.
High utility rates have been
maintained through manipula-
tions of pyramided holding COM
panies with no real financial in
vestment except on the part Of
credulous stock purchasers.
Utility management under pub
lie ownership is just as efficient
as private management. as shown
by government railway and pow
er enterprises in Canada.
Railroad executives were in a
conspiracy when they were under
government control during the
World war to discredit govern
ment operation.
Telephone dividends in the
United States have increased by
millions each year, even through
depression years, and no reduc-
ton in rates has been given the
public.
Gross earnings taxes in Min
nesota on railroads and telephone
companies result in allowing
these companies to escape fair
share of taxes on the basis of
what private business, farmers
and homeowners pay. The street
railways of the Twin Cities pay
taxes on valuation only one
third of the valuation used in
rate-making.
1T is particularly significant tn
Governor said. that while commod
ty prices in practically every fiel
nave dropped tremendously durin
he past few years. utility rate
the public by utilities, pri
have remained at sub
peak-prosrerity levels.
some instances they have been In
creased.
Reaches Into Schools.
THE tentacles of the light an
power octopus reach into our pres:
schools and universities. our civ
township units and state and na
tiOnal government. In the Unite
States Senate. private power props
canda was shown to be entrenche
upon the campus of our own Stat
1t is found now attempting to III
dermine by means fair and foul ever
municipally-owned light and powe
plant in the state. We find its We
vet but insidious touch in our Legi:
lature. Year after year, the Progre'
siye element in our Legislature ha
sought to extend to MinnesOtans tn
right and privilege so to amend the
that they might enjC
the statewide benefit of electric ligl
and power. at the low basic price ,
actual cost and distribution. Fac
time since 1923 the Minnesota Legi
latures served their masters and di
not even permit the voters of til
state TO pass upon the question.
Cites insult Debacle.
The high finance of public uti
tiles in America is amazing and trag
tragic to the public, which pays til
freight. The insult affair is a revel
ton of financial piracy of the wor
and most sordid kind.
There is an investigation no
under way in Minnesota by the S,
curitieS commission which shows til
purchase of gas plant by an ele,
trio company of a claimed value
approximately II million dollars fl
something like "a million dollar
The rates are based on a return fl
the latter figure.
"A comprehensive law modelled c
the most advanced laws of otht
states to regulate this business HI
been introduced in the Legislator
Something must be done this yea
The bill places the control undt
the Railroad and Warehouse con
mission, but If the law is now el
acted. Public Utilities commissic
can later be established if that
thought the better thing to do.
"The best paying public utility
the United States is perhaps IL
telephone utility. 1t claims an Il
vestment of over Az billion dollar
Its 1892 operating revenue is state
to have been S1.179 100000. Dividen,
paid were S340.134, 900, or only
million dollars less than were pa
by the railroads in 1881. The raj
roads claim net capitalization
about 10 billion dollars
Phone Dividend Figures.
Telephone dividends in the Unit,
States for several years past WEI
according to Governor Olson:
1924 St51 Oo0 O0O1QSS 5000 OO0 O.