Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-11

Legislation that embraces Ile ulOsI
progressive measures, such as the
initiative, referendum and recall,
popular election of senators, submission
of constitutional amendments for equal
suffrage to a vote Of the people and
state conservation Of natural resources
is on the program for this winter
work at Sacramento, according to an
address made yesterday to the City
club by Meyer Lissner, chairman Of
the Republican state central com
mittee.
Much has been promised, but the
ability to prepare and digest legislation
in a short session Of little over two
months is limited" said Mr.. Lissner.
No legislature has ever passed a con-
siderable number of important meas
ures, and If the next legislature comes
anywhere near passing all the legisla-
tion that has been suggested 1t will be
because It has been more fortunate
than its predecessors in the compila-
tion Of preparatory data"
Mr.. Lissner divided the proposed
legislation into four classes-better
control of public utilities by the people,
legislation that will bring the govern
ment nearer to the people, application
of business methods to public affairs
and humanitarian legislation.
Under the head of 1.-The control OF
public utilities the most important
legislation concerns the conservation
of natural resources that come under
the jurisdiction of the state" said the
speaker. "The Legislature should at
least pass emergency legislation to pre-
vent the further monopollzation of such
water power rights as have not passed
into private ownership.
FIX PRICE OF OIL
A.
of California should declare the con-
sumption of crue oil public use and
pass a law to this effect, placing the
regulation of the price of crude oil in
the hands of discreet commission.
Before we can fix rates for a pub
lie utility we must know the actual
valuation of the property employed in
its operation. The state should have
something to say about the issuance Of
stocks and bonds by such corporations.
TT is suggested the state enact law
creating a public service commission,
which shall have general supervision
over all public service corporations,
similar to those commissions in eX-
istence in New York, Wisconsin and
other eastern states. 1t may require
a constitutional amendment to effect
this. And 1t may be that the work of
the railroad commission should be
placed under the jurisdiction of the
public service commission. At any
rate, we are assured of a real, live
railroad commission for the next four
years.
In the railroad bill passed by the
Legislature last year railroads were pro-
hibited from issuing passes to persons
holding offices of honor, trust or profit
under the state, but this does not pre-
vent the state and county officials from
asking for passes for their wives and
families. The law should be amended
to make it similar to the interstate
commerce act which prohibits the Is
suance OF any passes except in well
defined cases.
RATE-FIXING Is DIFFICULT
"If a state public service corpora
tion is organized, one OF the most del
icate questions to be decided is to
what extent such a commission should
have control over rates in cities where
the governing bodies have been accus-
toned to fixing rates for public utili-
ties. But any intelligent investiga-
tion OF the matter of rates for some