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Show MUNICIPAL AND PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF PUHLIC UTILITIES. Tho8 opposed to municipal ownership of public pub-lic utilities charge that privately conducted enterprises en-terprises are always operated better than public concerns. Those favoring municipal ownership positively assert that municipal control insures maximum servlco nt minimum cost and that such public enterprises can be conducted as good as private enterprises. Between the two contentions conten-tions there "is plenty of room for argument," The facts probably nre tlmt elthdr system is good if note this momentous little if the management man-agement is good, Private ownership conducted on the principle of "the public be damned" and irrespective of public rights, fair rates, service and dealings with the public, ennnot be termed good. Every concern is entitled to a fair return upon its bona fide invostmcnt.'nnd if it gets no more than that and gives good service and is responsive to the public needs, it probably can not be improved upon by public ownership. Private ownership always figures interest on the money invested. Public ownership never docs. There is no possible pos-sible comparison of relative cost where there is such great divergence on this basic principle of financing. For instance, nobody knows tlte nctual investment invest-ment of the United States postal department from the time it was stnrtcd. No interest is ever figured against the government. Hut one can rest assured that the Standard Oil officials know pretty well the extent of their investment and are getting a fair interest on it in addition to earned profits. Locally, the city council at its meeting last Tuesday evening put the proposition proposi-tion of municipal and private ownership squarely square-ly up to the people of Price in the matter of the electric lighting and power plant. The vote on the proposition will come on the 15th of May, next month. In the meantime The Sun trusts that the matter mat-ter will be fully and freely tliscussed and that taxpayers and citizens will have gained sufficient suffi-cient information on the subject as to be able to vote Jntelligently. Any offer the purchasing compnny has to make for the existing plant and as to contracts with the people of the city will no doubt be set forth in detail. |