The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-01-07
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1909.

copy of a resolution adopted by the city
council urging the passage OF law
making it unlawful for any public ser
vice company to make service charge.
Apparently the real purpose of the law is
to restrict the authority of the Railroad
Commission and prevent that commits
sion from establishing a service charge
as part Of the rates for water, light
and heat in this state. This bill should
receive general support throughout the
state Before the establishment of the
Railroad Commission all of the cities
throughout the state had taken decided
positions against any arbitrary or service
charge, for no consumer really gets any
thing for the money that he pays IA a
service charge. The commission APP
pareutly think that man should pay
for the privilege of being served by these
companies and also pay for the gas,
water or electricity actually used. As
we understand it, it is the duty OF Il
public service company to serve the
public. so that 1t is fundamentally
wrong to exact service charge, and a
service charge is also thoroughly I'M
popular because every person dislikes to
part with his money when he gets moth
ing in return.
Before the establishment of the Rail
road Commission service charges were
unknown in this state because Of their
unpopularity and incoyrectness and be
cause Of their unfairness to the small
consumer. Now the Railroad Commits.
sion comes TO the aid Of the public ser
vice companies and authorizes these
arbitrary charges. The commission ap-
parently desires to perform new stunt
ana demonstrate that they are develop
ing new ideas 1t il doubtful whether
or not the commission was established
for that purpose and the sooner the com.
mission learns that part Of its duty is
to make rates that are reasonably salts.
factory to the people, as well N TO the
public service corporations, the sooner
will the commission become useful in
stitutiOn In the meantime, however,
the public should not be subjected 10
these arbitrary exactions and the legs
latnre ough; TO Immediately take hand
in the matter and curb the authority of
the commission and establish firmly the
rule in this state that no service charge
is to be made
Some people might be Of the opinion
that the commission ought to be able to
understand and see this and that the
commission would refuse to establish
these arbitrary or service charges unless
they are Just. We do not desire to at
tack the personnel of the commission,
We believe that the members Of the
Railroad Commission are men Of CharaC
ter and ability However, there is no
reason why the people Of the state Of
Wisconsin should indulge the delusion
that any extraordinary wisdom il to be
displayed by the Railroad Commission on
questions that are purely local aud per.
tanning to municipal government None
of the members Of the commission have
had any experience in municipal affairs
Of any kind Mr. Meyer, the chairman of
the commission, until his appointment
was a echoolIeacher Mr. Erickson, IN
til bis appointment, was statistician
and an agent Of "a railroad Mr. Roemer,
before his appointment. was Milwau.
kee lawyer. Unless these members of
the Commission got by inspiration
knowledge concerning municipal affairs,
the needs of the various municipalities,
il Is doubtful whether they POSSESS any
Information on these subjects whatever
They have had no special means of be
coming informed on these matters and
the legislature showed, in our opinion
bat little widsom in giving this commits
sion practically unlimited authority in
the control Of strictly local and nun.
icipal affairs
Under the situation as it is, the legis
lature ought TO take immediate action
as outlined in the resolution adopted by
our city council and establish firmly the
proposition that no service charge shall
be exacted from any person in this state