Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-10-19
STATE PLATFORM.

taxes VI USiHg c0mpSlieu TO resort &c
borrowing.
STATE PLATFORM.
} A continuance of this policy of adj
vancement is guaranteed for the fu-
ture by the Republican party. Pur-
suant to the Primary election law, on
September 18th, all candidates for
state and Legislative offices and hold
over senators met at Madison and
, unanimously adopted state platform
upon whose provisions the Republican
party asks the endorsement Of the peo-
pie of this state. This platform is
thoroughly republican in its principles,
breaths consciousness of real evils in
, the state today, and is imbued win
that spirit of action and legislative
reform, which during the last six
years has made Wisconsin the most
progressive state in the union. Its
provisions are clear aud definite. It
lican platform of late years and guar
antees continuance of the struggle
against extortIon by public service
corporations and cessation OF the
abuse of special privileges. 1t was
written by the chosen representatives
of the people, who are responsible for
its provisions and who will shIrk no
duty in order to discharge in their full
lest meaning the obligatio ns to winch
they are pledged.
Pubic SERVICE CORPORATIONS.
The most important issue of the
campaign is the regulation of public
service corporations. The republican
platform speaks IN no uncertain terms
on this subject. 1t says:
eve pledge ourselves to the enact
ment of a law providing for the regu-
lation of rates of service of all public
service corporations, similar to that
now exercised over railroads The
same reason exists for controlling the
rates of water, electric light, gas, tel
ephone, telegraph and street railway
companies and other public service
corporations, as for controlling trans
portation rates.
ave pledge ourselves to the enact
ment Of law providing for the reg
ulation of the issues of stocks and
bonds of all public service corpora
t1ons, giving the Wisconsin Raiload
Commission supervisory control over
the same, and by appropriate provi
sions, preventing the issue of any such
stocks and bonds except for actual
value
These corporations welcomed by the
cities to furnish them with public util-
titles of light, gas, water and transpOr-
Jation were in most instances granted
exclusives franchises. Because of
their monopoly power they have main
tanned exorbitant charges, out of all
reason with the services which they
have granted. Petitions for relief
have been ignored. All argument has
been IN vain. Under their franchise
competition is impossible and the pub
lie is at the mercy of the corporations.
Operating under franchise TO dis
charge a public service, the state, as
a sovereign body, possesses the power
to regulate these corporations, insur-
ing charge which will be reasonable
for the service.
TREND OF LEGISLATION.
A study of legislation IN other states
on the subject of control of public
utility corporations shows some we'll
defined tendencies. The most impOr-
tant OF these are as follows:
a. Increased authorization of cit
les, to erect, purchase and operate
public service plants.
e. PERMISSION to issue bonds be-
yond the present authorized limits, or
to levy tax for the special purpose
of acquiring such properties.
81 A Limitation of franchises.
a. Regulation of the issue of Sc
curities.
Within the last fifteen years the
PERMISSION to own, erect and purchase
public utility plants has been extend
!; ed to cities in at least twenty four
states. The distrust of common coun-
ellis in franchise matters and the de-
, sire of people to safeguard their rights
, has caused Minnesota, Illinois, New
, Jersey, Kansas, Nebraska, Indiana
and our state, to extend the applica-
ton of the referendum. The Repub-
) lican party, as a step in this direc-
ton, has already enacted law re-
, quiring the submission to the people
: in certain instance, of franchise
: grants. Everywhere there is strong
public demand for speedy relief
t through legislative action.
, NO BASIS FOR CHARGES.
In the field IF these public service
corporations, there is no definite re
: latlon between gross capitalization,
output or service, gross earnings anc
earnings per unit of plant. No scien-
tifc rule has been followed in deter
2 mining the rates for service in oul
cities. OILY superficial knowledge OF