Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-09-05

than on the farms and it can be done
at less expense. Not so many poles,
transformers, and wiring is required.
But the serving of farmers with cleo
trio light and power has been de-
layed long enough. The principal
reason that farmers have not had the
service heretofore is because the rates
are too high.
Over in Sweden 60 per cent of the
titled soil is served with electric cur
rent while here in America only about
10 per cent of the farmers have such
service, and certainly many farmers
have more need for electric current
than have city and village jewellers.
The farmer can use the power for
pumping water. milking machines,
grist mills. and many other services
in the outbuildings as we'll as in the
farm home.
Comparison of electric rates in
Ontario. Canada, where it is public
ownership, and those charged in
America for domestic lighting reveals
iuitHSA thS ICdool iS'ooOi uoC VI
electricity on American farms. The
American rates are more than twice
as high as those of Ontario. The
establishment of the Tennessee Valley
Authority with it's Muscle Shoals, and
the Boulder Dam in the west, as we'll
as Senate investigations on holding
companies and the conduct of the
power trust and its lobbyists has
helped to bring down the electric
rates on the part of privately owned
companies, but the rates can and
should be reduced much more. The
establishment of more publicly owned
plants all over the country will re-
duce the rates still further.
If there are profits to be made on
electric current it is far better that
such profits remain in the commun-
ity where earned than to have it go
to Chicago, New York. and other
cities. For the profits to go into the
hands of such characters as Howard
c. Hopson, head of the American Gas
and Electric Company. who made mill
lions through holding companies, is
nauseating to right-thinking reople.
When a man like HOpson hides and
tries to evade uncOvering of his bus
mess dealings, when called before
the Senate investigating committee to
tell his story, it goes without saying
that he has something to cover up.
No right thinking man can defend
his actions.
For years there has been public
ownership of schools, mail service,
roads. bridges, water, sewer, parks,
and other institutions. In
most cases such institutions do not
produce profit. They render es-
sential and necessary services. 1t
might be well for the public to enter
more upon public ownership of things
that produce some earnings. Many
have made street i'm
established greatly i'm
proved lighting on the streets and
paid up bonds and other Indebtedness
earnings of light and power
plants. Folks are opening their eyes
against paying tribute to such para
site and law evading lounge lizards
as HopsOn and others.
If the Wisconsin venture in serv-
ing electric light and power to farm
ers as we'll as urban settlers proves
successful, which it likely will, it is
most certain that such power districts
will be established in other parts of
that state. In time other states will
most certainly follow Wisconsin in
enacting similar laws.
A feature of the Wisconsin law, is
that property of the municipal power
district will pay real estate and per-
sonal property taxes the same as pri-
vately owned companies. Bonds
created for the purchase of equip
ment are revenue bonds only. no lien
against real estate. The bonds will
be paid for out of earnings made by
the power district.