Evening journal., 1904-12-06
A PUBLIC SERVICE EXAMINER,

49, INV D. AAAAAANt tEAAAA Aa"ArNNH aAAAA
all the chumps are not farmers.
A PUBLIC SERVICE EXAMINER.
THE Municipal Committee Of the
4 Board Of Trade, William p. Ban
croft, chairman. are desirous of secur-
ing the opinion Of all citizens OF viii
mington, including, Of course. the
members Of the Board OF Trade, re-
garding the following bill which it is
proposed to ask the General Assembly
10 pass;
"An Act Relating to Public Service
Corporations IN the city Of Whining
ton.
sec. I. The mayor Of Wilmington
Is hereby authorized and empowered
TO appoint an Examiner Of Accounts Of
Public Service Corporations whose
duty it shall be TO receive reports re-
specting the operations, within the
limits of said city. Of such corpora
tions and himself, or by reputy duly
appointed, TO examine their accounts
~ capital, receipts and disbursements,
so far as they shall pertain to their
operations within the limits of said
city.
Sec. 3. The mayor and Council OF
Wilmington are hereby authorized and
empowered 10 require under an ordi-
nance or ordinances OF Council ap-
proved by the Mayor, of any and all
corporations occupying the streets of
said city for street railways, gas or
other pipes or electric wires, that they
shall make to the Examiner OF Ac-
counts OF Public Service Corporations,
annual reports Of their capital invest
ed, receipts and expenditures, so far
as such capital, receipts and expendi-
lures shall pertain 10 their operations
within the Limits Of said city; and
that the corporations accounts Of such
capital, receipts and expenditures shall
be open to the inspection Of the said
officer and OF such deputy or deputies
as he shall in accordance with city
ordinances, appoint
SEC, 3. The salary Of the Examiner
of Accounts of Public Service Corpora
tions shall be such as shall by ordln-
ance be provided, and the mayor and
Council shall have power 10 provide for
meeting the expenses Of his work, in
Guiding salary Of a deputy or deputies,
Il such shall be appointed.
"Sec. 4. The term Of Office OF Ex-
amlners OF Accounts OF Public Ser
vice Corporations shall expire on the
flrst OF July, 1908, and at intervals OF
40 years thereafter.
"Sec. 5,-The mayor and Council
shall have power, by ordinance passed
by a majority OF two-thirds Of th'
members Of Council and approved by
the Mayor. 10 remove any Examiner
of Accounts OF Public Service Cor
porations from his position, provided
no such ordinance shall he acted on
finally by Council until two weeks
after it's Introduction; and in case OF
vacancies caused in that manner; or
otherwise, the mayor shall have power
10 appoint another person TO the posi-
tion for the remainder Of the term.
II may be said that a number Of ex-
perts on municipal government resid-
ing in the large cities have long
had some such legislation in mind, and
that a uasi-public corporation stands
on a different footing from other cor
poratlons, inasmuoh as from the pub
lie franchise is secured and the
public Is served directly, Then, too,
such an act would enable the taxpay-
ers 10 see how the franchises which
are enjoyed by public corporations are
managed and how profitable they are.
II they are making only a legitimate
pro- we should know it. II they are
watering their stock to- keep down
dividends, that fact would be OF inter-
est. II cannot be said that such
knowledge would not be the publlc's
business. since the franchise under
which such corporations operate be-
longs primarily to the public. Finally.
such information would be Of immense
value when new franchises are asked
In determining their worth.
The President now has Congress on
A.