Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-27
Special Commission Likely to
Be Created by Congress.
APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT
Independent of District Commission
ers or Interstate Commission.
VIEW OF PROMINENT CITIZENS
Present Lack of Accord Regarded as
Situation Which Congress Will
Remedy in This Wise.

Those best posted entertain belief that
supervision and regulation of all public
utility corporations including the street
railways. in the District of Columbia will
be given over 10 a special public utilities
commission to he appointed by the Presi-
dent and to be independent of both tho
District Commissioners and the interstate
commerce commission
This opinion given expression by a
number OF prominent citizens who were
interviewed by IA Star reporter yesterday.
Regulation of the street railways was
confided TO the interstate commerce conf
mission by act of MAY 23. 1905 That
commission shortly afterward created a
subcommSsion known the District
electric railway commission. TO investigate
conditions existing in the management
and operation OF the several street car
lines. look into complaints and make sus-
gestions for correction and improvement
as might be warranted.
Although this SubcommiSsion is COM
posed of three of Washington best
known citizens, men whose reputation for
conservatism and fairness has never been
questioned and whose ability Is generally
recognized. yet the railway companies
have refused to acknowledge its jurisdic
ton and decline to furnish it information
when called upon to do so.
Commissioners Want Authority.
Furthermore, the District Commission
ers in their last annual report urge Con-
gress to give them not only the jurisdic
tion over the street railways. now con-
ferred on the interstate commerce com
mission, but to enlarge their powers and
give them general supervisory control
over all public utility corporations in the
District
1t is no secret either that the Interstate
commerce commission has felt from the
outset that the additional duties OF regu
lating the railway system of the District
impose a burden upon If which cannot be
performed without assistance The char
acter of assistance desired was indicated
when 1t created the District electric rail
way commission.
Chairman Knapp's Views.
Chairman Knapp Of the interstate com
merce commission made this clear in his
interview as published in The Star Of July
last. 1t was not. as Judge Knapp then
stated, that the interstate commerce com
mission desired to shift responsibility or
shirk any duty put upon it by law, for it
has always reserved to itself the right 10
issue orders to the railway companies and
to make regulations for their government:
but the members of the commission have
not the time, did he believe Ii was
the intention of Congress in passing the
law that the members Of the Interstate
commerce commission themselves should
perform all the onerous duties connected
with the supervision and regulation of
street railways now delegated to the Dis
trict electric railway commission.
Members of the interstate commerce
and District commissions refuse to dis
cuss' the question as to what Congress
will elect to do. The attitude of the Dis
trct Commissioners has already been
plainly indicated in its official report and
in Commissioner Macfarland's letter to
Senator Challenger last Monday in re
sponse to his request for the ComInis
sioners' view on the Burkett and LaFo-
lette bills.
Mr.. Macfarland's Recommendation.
In that letter it was stated:
''The Commissioners recommend that
they be clothed with the powers OF pub
lie service commission so as to effective
ly supervise the public service corpora
tions of the District of Columbia. Such
regulation of public utility corporations is
now regarded in all large cities justi-
fled by the valuable franchises given ia
these corporations. and by the public
character of their work and its vital re
latiOn to the welfare Of the community.
Elsewhere public service commissions
have been created to perform this impor-
tant duty. Here it is not necessary to
establish new organ of government or
to incur the expense of annual salaries for
such a purpose.
The Commissioners can take the addi-
uonal duties without interfering with
those which they now perform. The num-
Der of corporations To be thus supervised
is small. and the number of questions To
be settled would not be large although
important.
IAN that is required is To give the Com
missioners additional powers to those
which they now have. and authority and
money with which to employ experts tenn
porarily when their services are required
which would not be often or for long
periods of time.
Purpose of Measures
Senator Burketts bill is designed 10
prevent unlawful discrimination by com
panes or corporations doing business in
the District of Columbia and authorizing
the interstate commerce commission To
hN reasonable rates or charges for ScrN-
Ice rendered by such companies or cor
porations.
Senator LaFollettes measure is design
ed Ito create commission to be known
the public utilities commission of the
District of Columbia and TO prescribe its
powers and duties.
\ prominent official Who Is thorouSlly
acquainted with the entire situation said
that there is little doubt that the rail
ways will work for the abolition Of the
District commission and perhaps favor
the restoration To the District Commits
sioners of their former control over the
railways. But he added. th-y may he
depended upon to vigorously fight any ef
fort To place their properties under the
control of a special commission of amy
kind invested with power To make them
do what its judgment determines Is best.
Not only, said he, viii they fight to pre-
vent this in Congress. but If they fail
they will carry the fight into the courts
10 eNade surveillance that must neces-
sarily limit the freedom of action which
they have always enjoyed in the past.
Meanwhile the advocates of through serv-
ice, better equipment and up-to-date rail-
way facilities in the District of Columbia
are wondering what will come next
In view of what those who speak with
authority regard as the irreconcilable diff
ferences of the various interests involved.
corporations and administrators, the view
IS taken by these same persons, who
should know. that Congress will provide
for the situation 10y the establishment OF
a separate commission 10 have control OF
public utilities and entirely Independent Of
any existing commission, its members ap-
po;ntive by the President, with advice
and subject to approval of the Senate
Thirty Hurt at Picture Show.