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Show FALSE PERSPECTIVE. The attack on the power industry has been largely the result of a false perspective on the part of a few public pub-lic officials and a minority ef the voting public. Socialist doctrine maintains that most advocates of publicly-owned power systems show a disposition to shy at being classed as socialists. They base their arguments against private ownership of public utilities on the allegation that private enterprise enter-prise charges excessive rates for service. ser-vice. They show no interest in the principle involved. As a matter of fact, the actual importance im-portance of power as a political issue has been vastly exaggerated. Rales have never been so low as at present, nor service so good, and progress in both directions continues. Electricity is an almost infinitesimal item in the average family budget. Under our system of state regulation the utilities utili-ties charge rates based upon the value val-ue of their active properties, the cost of producing power, including taxation, taxa-tion, and a margin of fair profit. If rates are too high or too low in any part of the nation it is as much the fault of state regulatory commissions as the power companies. The absurdity absurd-ity of the demand for federal regulation regula-tion of power is shown by the fact that only about 10 per cent of all electricity crosses state lines, and all of that is "regulated" in states where it is sold. j Power has been thrust into politics, poli-tics, not because it is a vital issue, but because it is a "safe" issue. It distracts attention from such touchy subjects as prohibition subjects which cause most politicians to run for cover. For the most part, it is being used in the hope of deluding the public, and making votes out of thin air. j |