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Show Lightshed Editor: With respect to H.D. Roberson's article and the Chronicle Editorial concerning Utah Power and Light Company's application for an increase in electricity rates, we feel the following statement is necessary. The law properly allows the low income individuals, and many other issues. We are not challenging the legitimacy or the importance of the business conducted by the utilities, but we wish to do a thorough study and satisfy ourselves on what charges should be imposed for electric service. More time is urgently needed to study and evaluate the voluminous and highly technical case which has been presented by Utah Power and Light Company. also seems to me that as a reporter of human events and a public forum, a newspaper should aim at bringing harmony and human understanding and not at widening the gaps between groups with different ideals. I don't advocate a glossing over of truths and realities. I advocate a real search for understanding which can never be achieved by superficial reporting, sensationalism sen-sationalism (the glorifying without understanding of things which deepen existing schisms), or by emotional satire aimed at beliefs which I, for one, hold sacred. I believe that The Dai. ; Utah Chronicle has been gut many times of the above rationed ra-tioned offenses. I don't to.-, why, and I want to believe tin:: is out of no specific animosity to1 any groups on campus. 1 prefer:: believe that it is because of a-overenthusiasm a-overenthusiasm for son! good which sometimes negler.-evaluation negler.-evaluation of what specific stec-really stec-really promote that good, submit this letter in hopes achieving some understands Douglas Matsumori We accept Editor: To the letter of Nov. 15 of Mr. Leonard Suellman, Mr. Lon Baskett and Mr. Robert Pett, I would like to add my "agreement". Their thesis is that an ideal, or belief is best nurtured in the winds of honest dialectic i.e. Those whose beliefs are strongest are those who have exposed their beliefs and ideals to the tests of the real world. Yes, those who have had the courage to test their hypotheses by submitting them to rigorous anlysis through honest confrontation con-frontation with opposing views are those who possess individual beliefs and truths and not a collection of conditioned responses or societal dogmas. However, I also agree with Nevin Limburg. Perhaps Nevin, Leonard, Lon, Robert, and I all agree, but have a problem in definition of terms. Perhaps the disagreement is on the definition of the term "honest dialectic." Let me suggest a common definition with regard to the subject at hand, the Daily Chronicle. It seems to me that the .tool of a newspaper should be "honest dialectic". That is, a newspaper's stock and trade should be truth. That truth must be subjective truth simply because human beings report it and interpret i.t. J .make no claims to vasUa&eii Wfrtith,-and I make no' claims to " 'Having any knowledge of the philosophical foundations of journalism, but it owner of private property providing a public service a "just and reasonable" rate of return for the use of that property. With this basic premise in mind, the main issue before the Utah Public Service Commission with respect to Utah Power and Light's application ap-plication is what rate of return the company should receive for the public service it provides. The determination of utility rates involves considerable complexity. com-plexity. Many authorities disagree as to exactly what should be done to achieve fairness for consumers and utility companies debtors and stockholders. A three month continuance has been requested to allow additional time to determine how to resolve these difficult problems. Of particular importance are our questions concerning the propriety of advertising expenses incurred by utilities. There is also need to examine issues involving the national economy, the presidential intervention 'in the economy, changing interest rates, the regressive nature of present rate structures and their effect on The Chronicle coverage was somewhat unfair in its treatment of the Utah Public Service Commission. The Commission is badly undermanned to perform the wide variety of tasks assigned to it. In our view the Commission and its staff are making a serious effort to study the application and try to reach an informed judgement. Our purpose is to assist the Commission by gathering and presenting data we think important to reaching a sound decision. Finally, the Chronicle was not entirely accurate in indicating the public has been totally unrepresented. The Office of the Utah Attorney General has been actively involved from the outset and has made a serious and meaningful attempt to see that the interests of the consuming public are weighed. That however, is not sufficient. It is important that citizens also participate. an.d speak for ' themselves, r Edward Barney Cesas Michael Jaenish Robert Sears |