Show ADMIRABLE LE WORK What the Wisconsin Utilities Commission Has Done DoneIt It HaD Eliminated El Politics Feuds Feud Do De tween Corporations and Citizens Citizen a and Discrimination on In It Hoc HaG Eo Business Methods Method of Op Operation Operation and Is Protecting j Both the and md nd the tho Investor By Br DR D 13 II MEYER president of ot tho iho railroad commission ot of The lh Wisconsin legislation linn hM taken takeo i tho utilities us lit ii well as nM the railroads I out of ot politics I do not believe that many citizens cnn can be found in the thc i state Elate of ot Wisconsin who ho would serious seriously ly Ir I claim that In either the primary campaign or In the campaign n preceding precedIng precedIng ing the th present ent November elections the I utilities an nt such uch had entered d Into poll poli politics tics All students of municipal affairs well vell know that in lii this elimination of ot from the management t of or mill I tics ties we have removed one of the greatS great greatest rent I est cIt Iud and most moat persistent sources of cor corruption corruption and nn bad bod government The utilities law In w tends to eliminate between the citizens and thE J management of or public and private plants Tho law In w assures to all nil communities good service cervice at reasonable rates rate This Is placed within the reach of or nil all I impartially whether the commission advances or lowers the rate The Tile basle I I of its ItH findings is published In every Instance These published facts should J I I to convince and ond ani I believe bellove do I convince the average e citizen of ot the reasonableness and Justice of the deci decision lon sion If It It is III reasonable and Just and whether he ho likes It or not he must by ly that decision deI lon In this respect cases utilities are arc quite dlf lerent rent from time the most of the cases af nf I fe railroads In the case of ot utilities ties tIcs the frequently degen I crates ertes Into a n bitter blUer anti and partisan feud j I affecting the time entire population which I blinds both sides to n a proper compre j of ot the facts and to n a sense ol ot Justice Proceedings before he fore the time com commission I mission tend to clarify clarity and educate public opinion The public utilities law raises raiseR the I of or morality through h the time erad eradication of oe the tue evil eU of ot dIscrimination 1 j the protection of a n reasonable To those who are arc quite familiar I I with time tile past post evils elIs of discrimination In Jn railway rates the time extent of o the thc dis discrimination crimination tiOn In the rates in service serke utile util may moy bo ho almost beyond compre comprehension hension The whole j state tC of Bin was literally streaked and plaster plastered ed cd with Ith discriminations In the rates rate of utilities and In all the rest refit of the country where the extent of or such Its dis discriminations criminations have not yet been heen deter determined determined mined ae ne they the have hl been in Wiscon Wisconsin sin slit It in 18 i quite probable that nations S similar In character and extent likewise cx e esL st All rates rateR rules rule and I regulations n effect erred In the state are on file with the commission and these are arc the only rates and regulations I which can cnn he be lawfully enforced and collected Pre Free and reduced rate son sonke Ire ke c liaR ban hn been absolutely prohibited Thousands of Individuals had been re receiving free and antI reduced rate rote service onIce and eradIcation of nil all such rates r t can cannot cannot cannot not hip help h lp but servo ns os a moral morn tonic and raise the level leel of public and private private vate morality within the time state as a a 11 whole For I of the report reporting fog ing Jn telephone companies eight of every cn ry hundred subscribers received free tree or orr reduced r rate IH Tho Thu process r of equalization of rates lund Imd been going on for over a n year Consequently the tho Actual l I extent of the unjust discrimination 11 lIon tion was very much greater reater at nt the tho time of 0 the enactment of the I have hl reason to believe bellevo that In II every other slate state of time the Union nion these discriminations still flourish at nt atthe atthe the expense cx nee of or nub who PAY the tho fall tull rate rato Similar discriminations exist In other of utilities The utilities law Is Ir working a n revo revolution lution In management mana While eom managements are doubtless mod models models els ls from n a business point of ot view thor boy Ire are not the general rule Many of ot the I utilities companies have not been op orated crated on a n business basis baals In fact tact It Jt ItIs ItIs I Is probable that a good many of the ho managements did not n t have hao the remotest est st Idea Idell ns nR to tho the exact standing from froma a n point of view of the plant they were ere operating Uniform ac nc accounting counting commuting rules governing tho tim service and the tho regulation re of rates ute compel the tho adoption of business and scientific methods which ar are resulting in noth nothing fag ing short of ot a revolution In mange meat ment All of ot the tile effects of ot the thc law taken token collectively arc are bound to place Invest Investments Investments ments In public utility enterprises eR on a amore amore more stable foundation Tho Timo In works orla both ways waya On the thi Ul one hand band bandIt It protects the consumer against a unjust and unreasonable und and poor jen service servIce jence ice ce and amI on the other It protects prot ts the In Investor investor vestor in iii his claim to a n reasonable rate rato on the property which IB is I devoted to public use UBe Thin legislation will proba probo probably lily bly remove public utility Investments very cr greatly If not entirely from rom the field eid of ot speculation ntH place them hem In Inthe Inthe the class closs of ot conservative con certain and find I Investments |