White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1935-10-17
Ways To
Distribute Power
BY ]. b. Whitehead
Secretary, Benton County Utility Dist


Secretary, Benton County Utility Dist.
There are four ways of distributing
electric energy. The first is just what
you have now in the form of private
ownership Of power. However, private
ownership of power is on the way out
just as it was for water thirty years
ago. This is particularly true of the
Northwest and whether you believe in
public ownership of power or not, you
already have it in Seattle, Tacoma,
Centralia, Ellensburg, Port Angeles and
several other cities in the state OF
Washington. This movement is ex-
panding rapidly and even if you do
not believe in the public ownership Of
power you must reconcile yourself to
public ownership in one Of three forms.
The second is by the federal govern
ment. Under this form you can not
collect taxes in any form for your To-
cal problems. Nor can you decide your
own rates, nor put your own people
to work, nor have anything to say in
your own work programs. Your infiu-
ence in this business is just one in
1926, 100000.
The third is by state control. Under
this form you can do little more than
under federal control of your distri-
button. Power revenues would be spent
by the state. Your voice is only one of
100000 people.
The fourth is that embodied in the
plan to purchase the Pacific Power
and Light company, namely: That
every city, town or district own its
own distribution system and buy its
electricity at wholesale wherever 1t
sees fit, or generate it. This is the
only sensible way, where you can divide
what part of your revenues shall be
returned to your community in the
form of taxes or what rates you shall
pay, or put your own people to work
on your own programs. 1t is the ap-
plication of the Home Rule principle
to public ownership.
Remember, no taxpayer will ever pay
a cent for purchasing, construction OF
| OUcTdUlOll. 1lC WILL 1lOu pay q NCiAo AcA
the Pacific Power and Light property
nor will there be any lien on any pro-
perty or is any foreclosure possible
The only source of payment will be
light and power bills. This is the only
possible plan by which you can kee[
your profits at home, the only way
YOU can control and lower your light
rates and favor the class of consunl.
ers or industry you wish. It is the
only way you can put your own people
to work on construction and operation
1t is the only way you can water
your employees and discharge the dis
honest and incompetent. It is the onl.
way you can keep the power industr!
out of politics.
The cost of generation is very few
mills per XVIII, but the cost Of distri
button is in cents per XVIII. Your choic
should be confined to whether you
wish the federal government, state, o
your own city or district to distribute
your power and to dispose of the rev
enues therefrom.
The cost of distribution per XVIII
rapidly decreases with an increase'
head, and I believe it is possible t.
increase the consumption of electri
energy in the White Bluffs and Han
ford communities to point where tn
distribution costs will about equal tn
generation costs.
We are indebted to j. D. Ross, sup
rintendent of City Light, Seattle, TO
most of the logic expressed in thi
letter.