Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-03-20
ADMIRABLE WORK,
What the Wisconsin Utilities
Commission Has Done

Vi Has eliminated Politics, Fsuds Be-
tween Corporations and Citizens and
Discrimination In Rstes--it Has Es-
tablished Business Methods Of OPP
Grafton and 10 Protecting Both the
Consumer and the investor.
BY DIR. q. Fl. MEYER, president or the
railroad commission Of Wisconsin
The wisconsin legislation has taken
the utilities as well as the railroads
out of politics. I do not believe that
many citizens can be found In the
state OF Wisconsin who would serious
iy claim that In either the primary
campaign or In the campaign preced-
ing the present November elections the
utilities as such had entered into poll
tics. All students of municipal affairs
we'll know that In this elimination Of
politics from the management of utili-
ties we have removed one of the great
est and most persistent sources of cor
ruption and bad government.
The utilities law tends to eliminate
feuds between the citizens and the
management of public and private
plants. The law assures to all commu-
mites good service at reasonable rates.
This is placed within the reach of all
impartiaily, whether the commission
advances or lowers the rate. The basis
OF its findings Is published in every
instance. These published facts should
suffice to convince and / believe do
convince the average citizen of the
reasonableness and justice Of the deci-
sion. If 1t is reasonable and just, and,
whether he likes 1t or not, he must
abide by that decision. In this respect
cases affecting utilities are quite diff
ferent from the most Of the cases af-
fecting railroads. In the case OF utili-
ties the controversy frequently degen
crates into bitter and partisan feud,
affecting the entire population, which
blinds both sides to proper compre-
hension of the facts and to sense Of
Justice Proceedings before the COM
mission tend to clarity and educate
public opinion.
standard OF morality through the Grad
| ication OF the evil of discrimination
and the protection Of reasonable
rate. 10 those who are quite familiar
with the past evils Of discrimination
| in railway rates the extent OF the dis
elimination In the rates I'm service util-
ities may be almost beyond compre-
hension. The whole state Of Wiscon-
sin was literally streaked and plaster
ed with determinations In the rates OF
/ utilities. and in all the rest of the
country where the extent of such dis
ordinations have not yet been deter
mined, as they have been in Wiscon-
sin, it is quite probable that discrimf-
nations similar In character and extent
Il likewise exist All rates, rules and
regulations in effect in the state are
on file with the commission, and these
are the only rates and regulations
which can be lawfully enforced and
collected Free and reduced rate serv-
Ice has been absolutely prohibited.
Thousands of individuals had been re-
ceiving free and reduced rate service,
I and eradication of all such rates cam
not help but serve as moral tonic
and raise the level of public and pri-
vate morality within the state as a
whole. For thirty-two of the report
ing telephone companies eight of every
hundred subscribers received free or
reduced rate service The process of
equalization of rates had been going
on for over year Consequently the
actual extent of the unjust diserimina-
ton was doubtless very much greater
at the time OF the enactment OF the
law. / have every reason to believe
that In every other state of the Union
these determinations still flourish at
the expense of subscribers who pay
the full rate. Similar determinations
exist in other classes of utilities.
The utilities law is working revo-
luton In business management. While
some arrangements are doubtless mod
els from a business point OF view. they
are not the general rule. Many of the
utilities companies have not been OPP
Grated on business basis. In fact, 1t
is probable that a good many OF the
managements did not have the remot-
est idea as to the exact standing from
a business point of view OF the plant
they were operating. Uniform ac-
counting rules governing the service
and the regulation of rates compel the
adoption of business and scientific
methods which are resulting in moth
ing short Of revolution in manage
ment.
All Of the effects OF the law. taken
collectively, are bound to place invest
ments in public utility enterprises on a
more stable foundation. The law
works both WAYS. On the one hand
it protects the consumer against unjust
and unreasonable rates and poor serv-
Ice, and on the other 1t protects the in
weston in his claim TO a reasonable rate