The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-07
WEDNESDAY FEB : 1884
REAL FACTS

INDIANAPOLIS citizens are paying per cent
IL less today for their light and power than
they we're Monday. The public utility has
made voluntary" reduction to its subscribe
ers following an editorial campaign by this
newspaper and vigorous action by the public
service commission.
Yet our worthy neighbor the Indianapolis
News. seems bit peevish about this saving to
hard-pressed consumers What is more, the
News. in its editorials both on the front page
and on the editorial page, shows rather a con-
fused state of mind
Every one gets mixed up once in a while
and perhaps now is as good time as any to
give our estimable competitor a bit Of assist
ance. A cold squirt Of facts may cool it's
fevered brow. Here is the story:
Back in 1927 the News fought coura-
geous-though unsuccessful-battle to prevent
the light company merger It ably predicted
the dangers Of the move and prophesied that
most Of the things that have happened would
happen.
From time to time thereafter the News
made mention of the local utility situation.
This was all very laudable. but rates stayed
up.
The Times got into the lists first in 1892 1t
made a brief. but vigorous attack on rates.
The News joined as did the South Side Civic
Association. The result was slight rate re-
duction amounting to $4,000 year
In 1888 The Times employed certified public
accountants who spent months combing the
reports of the indianapolis Power and Light
Company It turned it's audit over to Sherman
Minton, public counsellor. and the public serv-
ice commission brought a show cause" pro-
ceeding.
This is what our neighbor the News.
called "a show cause order bluff"
1t was quite a bluff 1t resulted in rate
slash Of over per cent and saving of more
than 100000 year to the consumers!
Then the News on Monday added
The ratepayer will applaud neither the state
ments of political aspirants. supported by
propagandists currying statehouse favor and
receiving advance news from the commission,
nor the back-slapping of the commission
company mutual admiration society"
re are very, very much afraid that our
neighbor is making a yelled reference to us.
Since The Times always prefers direct attack
to innuendo let us analyze that sentence.
The only advance news" We received from
the commission was news which we ourselves
had furnished the commission as the result of
our audit months ago.
The obscure remark about political aspir-
ants" undoubtedly means Sherman Minton.
He has been discussed as a candidate for the
United States senate This newspaper is not
backing him or any one else at this time for
that job, but we might point out that if every
candidate for public Office saved the citizens
half million dollars what a fine, pretty world
this would be.
No. we fear that the News is in a pet
over who is TO get the credit for the largest
voluntary rate reduction in the history of
Indiana.
, We do hope its little tantrum is temporary.
There is credit enough for all. but while this
stampede for the laurel wreath is under way
the public should remember that those who
really got the rates down we're the public
service commission and Mr.. Minton.
Newspapers can take hand in these mat
tiers. as The Times did. but it takes honest and
courageous public officials to bring about the
actual contamination.