The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-06-03
The UTILITY COMPANIES
and The PUBLIC

In an address before the National
Electric Light association. in session
in 81. Louis. Arthur s. Huey, repre-
senting the r. NJ Bylesiy companies,
said in part:
1T is absurd 10 blame the agitators
and the disgruntled and the avaracious
for everything" said Mr. Huey, 'some
Of our Ills originate in ourselves and
the apex OF folly Is to ignore our own
shortcomings
4 venture the assertion that at least
rs per cent OF public III feeling against
utility organizations has been caused
by the failure Of operating companies
10 take pains TO please their custom
ers.
In communities where companies
have exerted themselves 10 render full
value to consumers and have made
some shift toward educating the pub
lie to the facts underlying the central
station business, the public Is awak-
ening 10 new sense Of justice toward
utility corporations
People are realizing more than ever
before that there are two sides 10
these question:; that the public owes
as many obligations to a progressive
public service organization as the cor
poratlon owes 10 the public.
Il regret any opposition 10 the grow
ing tendency toward thte creation Of
state commissions empowered with
regulating authority over utility com
panies. Personally I welcome this
movement. because see in 1t great
opportunities for good to public and
corporations alike.
obviously utility commissions may
be good or bad or may be neither.
SO may the courts; so may every de-
partment Of government and It makes
little difference what style Of govern.
ment is IN vogue We might as well
tremble at the name OF a thousand
imaginary dangers as TO regard the
tendency toward governmental regula-
lion OF utilities with dread and appre-
hension.
with all proper regard for the sen.
sibilitIes Of others I am believer in
plain speaking. believe in admitting
that things are wrong. when they are
wrong. In order that curative measures
may be applied without lose Of time.
Our companies should play active
part In the whole commercial struc-
ture OF the municipality. They should
be made attractive physically, admir-
able from the point Of efficiency and
court the voluntary declaration from
every citizen that our town has one
Of the best electric companies in the
country
mo words are strong enough to
denounce the central station manage
ment which regards the community it
serves as a mere field for exploitation
As mere machine for the coming
OF electric service into dollars. An at
titude like this will wreck any utility
organization.
THE commercial field Of public
service company represents an oppor-
tunIty to market product The act
Of supplying the demand enhances the
entire value of the community. AS the
community becomes more attractive it
grows and develops, and as this
change takes place the value Of the
market Increases
In other words the central station
is a part Of the economic scheme Of
the modern city. Logically It should
profit in proportion to the cooperative
value It returns to the community.
THE central station does far more
than most other commercial influences
to build up cities and to AL them with
people, industries and wealth