Show v. v UTILITIES COMMISSION In 1917 the state legislature passed pass- pass ed cd d the law entitled the public utilities utilities ties es commission The state state got along long pretty prett well before it was passed pass pass- as ed cd d and th whole idea is a recent spasm of would-be would reformers to to saddle addle something new upon the people While we have no ilIJ particular lar ar love for fOl what are culled called t stand tand- pastes paste's yet yot ot a standpatter I io the best kind nind iud of a citizen b he is not nut nuta nota a Because on a man marches und under r a banner labeled Ito Jle form Corm is no indication that he lie has anything of an any merit Reform means to form anew and frequently the he particular reform s 's s 5 a r for or 01 the worse instead or oi th the ilia belter When Then you begin to n ti nl m ys that hat means that yr you t are r m h. h na more laws to limit a mans man's liberties a and nd ever every legislator gets It into his head lead that he be is sent to t tle a legislature legisla- legisla ture ure to make himself famous amou and Ind ando to o pass some law that will be a wonderful won- won i I erful benefit to the people when In la fact act many many times It would be better for tor or the slate state if he would resign and ando go o h home me The public public- utilities commissIon commission commis- commis sIon ion law Is one ona of those laws The Thelast Jast last ast legislature appropriated to o keep up this commission for tor two years ears and of that is for salaries of three commissioners and the he rest Is for clerks and other ex- ex pense ense Of what good is this law Have you ou ever heard of anybody outside of f the fellows s that get the money that hut was by this law If Ifa Ifa a man or a company want wants want to give to-give give a public service like railroads telegraphs telegraphs telegraphs tele tele- graphs telephones and auto stage lines Ines then he be must get a certificate of at convenience and necessity before before be- be fore ore he can do business That is a aboard aboard aboard board is to decide whether a man or ora ora a a. company shall engage in any line of business of a public character Ifa If Ifa a company wants a franchise to build mild a railroad into th the basin then thenie he ie must go to the commission and If he gets It then any other line is supposed t to be barred from coming in n. n This commission is to stand asa as us usa a guardian over the people to tell them hem whether they shall be permitted permitted permitted per per- to have haye any competing lines or not The corporations who have havethe havethe the he money to build railroads sire ire are not supposed to have enough sense to tobe tobe tobe be trusted to use their own judgment judgment judgment judg judg- ment or mone money to make a business venture in a community as to the vestment investment 11 of their own money when as a matter of met the business busi- busi ness nass men who venture in those schemes have the highest quality of sense of any other class of men In Inthe inthe the countr country The commission then I so far tar as It has power will grant giant a railroad franchise for a couple o of I years rears perhaps ps and give glye the railroad a monopoly of the opportunity for forthe forthe forthe the two years Is it not better for forthe forthe the he right to build to be left open to free and let the most vigilant and energetic company eme In and let the people get the benefit of It Just think of oC it a aboard aboard aboard board created by the appointment o oa of at ofa ata a governor at the dictation of or pary politics to pick out the members o othe of the board from men who have no not demonstrated any particular qualities quail ties ties- for mental ability are to stand as oracles to dictate to men who have grown io to be great and who can see farther into business management management man man- in a minute than an ap appointed appointed appointed ap- ap pointed political board can see in a a week and nd the statute books are in in- in cumbered with this kind t Of f legislation legislation legislation legisla legisla- tion and the people have to pay the bills fifty thousand dollars In two years What has this commission given ghen the basin for automobile service service service ser ser- vice Good service in good weather and poor service In bad weather Would it have been an any worse I If there had been no commission a aall at atall atall all It might have been better under under under un un- un- un der competition but it could no not have ha been an any worse And in saving this it is not an art attack upon an any stage line at all It is merely i. that the of the public utilities utilities utilities util util- law Is a failure and an enormous enormous enormous enor enor- expense to the people of th the state o 0 |