The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-17
UTILITIES COMMISSION.
Kansas to Have One After Legislature
Meets.

interest in the next legislature and
the election this fall has to do with a
plank in the Republican party plat-
form in which members are pledged to
vote for law that will place state
wide public utilities, railroads. teIe-
graph, telephone, electric light and
power companies, street railways. dis
trlDutors OF gas, whether in cities or
py pipe lines, express companies and
common carriers of all kinds, under
the control of a state commission hav-
ing authority over the issue of stocks
and bonds, having means and power
to obtain the physical valuation of the
plants and to regulate rates and SER
vices in the interest of the people IF
Kansas and the investors and en-
ployees of these corporations
Governor Stubs in his speeches over
ansas is making it a vital point IN
his argument for public utilities
commission to control the capitaliza-
ton of public service corporations, and
the good service and rates Of such cor
porations, that the control of local pub
lie service interests should be not dis
turbed by the state but should be left
In the hands of local authority. This
is a point omitted in the platform
plank declaring for a public service
commission.
Regarding the proposed commission
E. H. Hogueland. assistant to John
Dawson, attorney for the board of rail-
road commissioners, had this to say:
kansas should have a public utility
commission second to none in the
Union. The commission should be
given jurisdiction over telegraph, te1e-
phone, water, light, heating and pow
er companies, and perhaps refrigerat-
ing and cooling companies, as well as
greater authority than that now con-
ferred upon the present railroad COM
mission over common carriers.
"At the present time the power of
the Kansas railroad commission is linn
tied. Much greater authority to
supervise and control the common car
riers is necessary.
1.-THE Wisconsin commission has
taken an advanced stand in the super
vision and control Of public service
corporations. The results of its work
are divided into four general classes.
namely, rates. service, valuation and
accounting. The commission of that
state has made great strides toward
obtaining fair valuation Of the prop
critics Of the various public service cor
porations. The valuations are made
both for taxation purposes and for a
basis to determine whether rates and
charges are fair and reasonable. A
uniform system of accounting has been
adopted by both the New York and
Wisconsin commissions and has proved
very beneficial and should be adopted
in Kansas.
1.-THE New York law confers author
lty upon the puDHc service comInlS-
sion of that state to regulate the is-
suance of stocks and bonds and other
evidences of Indebtedness This is one
of the most important features of that
law. and affords good pattern for the
Kansas so1onS.
zone of the strong features of the
Wisconsin law is the indeterminate
franchise plan, by which a public
utility is given a franchise for no
definite period Of time but which may
become a virtual monopoly so long as
adequate service for a reasonable com
pensation is given, otherwise the fran
chise is revocable and the municipality
may purchase the utility. In New
York state a recent law provides tha-
the franchise cannot be revoked within
ten years: after that time the city
may purchase but at not to exceed a
certain percentage above the original
cost"