The people's voice., 1957-06-07
Power : Private or Public?

q 0kS OI OOIINs
Opponents claim that it cannot that it is wastefu
and more costly At this point cite the operation
of the Tennessee Valley Authority success on g
nationwide scale and need not go into detail since
its achievements and accomplishments generally
known. Likewise the operations of the Port of New
York Athuority furnish another example of public
operation national scale But to the argu-
men that opponents of public operation put forth that
public operation is inefficient and uneconoical want
to cite an example of public operation much
smaller scale; example which will also refute the
allegation Of Creeping socialism, namely the city of
Chanue, Kansas city which to the best of my knowl-
edge and belief has had socialist adminstra-
ton
- NO CITY TAXES
In 1881 as a member of the Montana legislature
received the information that Chanute Kansas (then
city of about ten thousand population owned it's
gas, water and electric plants and that it levied no
city taxes the entire expense of the city government
being paid from the revenue from these plants Not
being content to accept the of my information
final [ wrote to the then city clerk of Chanute for
verifcation and found my information to be correct
in that the entire cost of the city administration
paid by the revenue from these three municipality
owned plants no city taxes levied rates of the
three utilities were comparable to rates in any town
of similar size in Kansas and that in addition to my
previous information the city had built a $4OO 900
library.
Since I had been out of touch for several years
wrote again May fourth of this year inquring if
this system still in operation and satisfactory and
received answer from the City Manager and quote
'The City of Chanute still owns the gas, water and
electric plants and levies city tax-the expenses
of operating the city government still paid from
the profits of these plants There have been several
additions and expansions at the electric plant and
at he waite pla in he
three additional parks have been acquired and de-
veloPed since you knew about the City and the
fourth park has also been improved with swimming
pool and monkey island and additional tennis courts
In another park is lighted fountain and lake and
deer pen. An armory building is being con-
structed. Many homes have been built and sew
eral home additions being developed
OUR UTILITY RATES ARE COMPARABLE TO
ANY TOWN OF SIMILAR SIZE IN KANSAS" end
of quote. (My emphasis)
The above gives an indication of what can be ac-
complished by public operation where citizens take an
active interest in choosing honest sincere public of
ficials who competent and have the public and
civic interest at heart. | positive that will
assert that Chanute, Kansas for that matter any
town in Kansas is "a hotbed of socialism
And allegation of Creeping socialism" is seen
for what it is, bugaboo thrown up to frighten an
unenlightened public
The final and by far the serious allega-
tion of the of public operation (of power
other public function) is that such operation
control will lead to dictatorship.
To that allegation there be only one answer.
Dictatorship only become possible in democracy
such if and when majority of it's citizens
become so lndolent apathetic to permit small
minority to usurp control So long American citizens
have the franchise and exercise it thoughtfuly and
the establishment of dictatorship i'm
possible.