Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-03-04
fUBIIc UTfElTiEs BEATEN.

The defeat OF the public utilities
llaw is a highly commendable act Of
4 Il. legislature. Al We have pointed
Tout before. 1t is A. ell the whim of
few self-appolfsed leaders and
means the appointment of some sal
afied officers more Jobs to distribute
with the farmers paying the larger
part of the bill. The fight made
against the bill was not against reg
uIation Of public utilities but against
bossism for Topeka and in favor Of
home rule for cities. This statement
covers the case-it was given out by
w. Y. Morgan:
"A good deal has been said on the
subject of the public utility bills that
Intentionally or unintentionally, Il
likely to befog the public mind. The
attempt is made to say that the ad-
vocates OF the so-calledl Adnainigtral
tion bill were in favor Of the regula-
ton Of public utilities and that the
advocates of the home rule bills were
not. Nothing could be further from
the facts.
"In the first place the administra-
tion bills had nothing to do with rail-
roads or common carriers. 1t was ex-
pressly stated by the representatives
of the administration that the rail-
road laws of the state are sufficient
or that 1t was not wise to attempt
to amend them. Provisions for valua-
ton and supervision of bonds and
stocks we're not at issue in the contro-
versy because they are covered by
other bills before the legislature, SO
an appeal to sentiment in favor Of
the administration bill that it would
mean a better regulation, or any reg
ulation at all Of railroads and COM
mon carriers was fallacious.
"The controversy came from two
theories of regulation. The admins
tration bill provided for the abolish
ment Of the railroad commission
slected by the people and replacing
Il with commission Of tive to be APP
pointed by the governor. It then pro-
vided detailed and expensive plan
Tor the regulation Of public utilities
IN the cities Of the state and in the
asst administration bill 1t applied abb
Iolutely to none but to cities Of over
5000 population. The home rule
ill provides directly that the power
II regulation. control and the fixing
II rates of public utilities shall be ex-
,ressly conferred upon the city gov
rnments.
Both sides we're in favor Of regula-
ion of these city utilities, one by ap-
,ointive state board and the other by
he local governments elected by the
,eople Of the cities In which the utili-
les exist. When the people of the
tate understand that the administra-
ion proposed to abolish the elective
abroad commission and provided an
expensive state board to do a costly
york that affected only the thirteen
tiles Of the state with the population
( over 10, 900. those who live outside
( those cities will certainly feel that
! would have been a mistake for
hem TO have been assessed in taxes
D carry out such q law, and the peo-
Ie Of the cities would have been
hooked to find that their control Of
ieir local utilities had been practical )
, taken from them and given to a l
olltical board at Topeka.
That Is all there yas 10 the contrO- 4
ersy. The fight Was made for home {
uie for the cities. regulation and r
ontroI Of utllues in all cities By 4
ieir ovn governments. and against 4
ie repeal Of the law providing Tor .