The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1936-06-19
CHARLES e. TAYLOR
Editor and Manager



1t has been said that figures don't lie.
but sometimes liars figure.
The pumping controversy in Plenty
wood recalls this truism and for a charac-
terlstic example of liars figuring that is a
Chassis, we refer the people of brentwood
and the readers of the Producers News to
double column full page length ad of the
Observation-Disclosures Utilities Company in this
weeks issue of the Plentywood Herald
Read it well and digest it with plenty
OF gravel in your mental gizard. You will
lind 1t mentally stimulating and spiritually
nourishing. And also the mathematical
gyrations of the paid liars of the power
octopus, very intriguing and amusing.
Inc power lobby is all wrought up over
the facts that the City Council made a con-
tract with the FalrbankS-MOrse Diesel En-
CINE and Pump Manufacturers without ask
ing for blds-but in the matter of the Pa
mona electric pump, the power plutocrats
are not so concerned. It's only when the
dividends of the power COMPANY are st
stake that the power exploiters take such
an interest in the public welfare and its
not any saving to the public that worries
these public pocket-pickers, SO much as is
the escape OF mOdicum of the loot they
have been able to fitch from the public
Now the Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.,
VINO nave been collecting the outrageous
rate OF 8 cents per kilOWatt hour from the
City OF PlentywoOd for street lighting and
pumping, rate in itself nothing short
OF highway robbery, for all of these
years, now when a cheaper and better
method of pumping is proposed. comes be-
fore the City Council with a proposal to
reduce these rates to cents per kilowatt
hour, just one-haf of what it has been hi
lacking from the people, if the City will
Duy It's Ramona pump, an electric pump
OUTFIT Tor It's new well, and the juice to run
1t, from the Montana-Dakota Utilities Co..
and buy at least ST 900 worth of Juice mini
mum at that rate yearly, from that COM
pany, the same gross amount the City has
Deen paying the power sharks yearly in
the past. In other words, the Montana-Da-
kota otferS to supply a couple more street
lights from now on, and do the pumping
free from now on, if the CITY of Plenty
wood will promise to do no experimentin9
with diesel engine.
Naturally the company does not disclose
the net profit it would make from the sale
OF the Ramona pump, nor does it suggest
any investigation of electric pumps to see if
tnere are any better made, nor the calling
or bids for pumps No! Tt wants the
City Council to pay 81 400 to the Montana
Dakota, without bids, and without investi-
cation. But if the Council is going to buv
a diesel engine, this great public savior and
benefactor, wants Investigations and bids.
that is it pretends to, but as matter Of
fact it wants nothing of the sort. It only
wants to compel the City to buy the Pa
mona pump from it, and also the Juice to
run 1t, and that is fact as all know.
The Montana-Dakota Utilities Co does
not propose the calling for bids for Juice.
though of course it would be passionatelv
ardent for bids for diesel fuel.
And, people of Plentywood. there is a
reason for that, and that reason is as plain
as 'wart on the nose The price of A cents
per kilowatt hour for street lighting and