Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1910-02-25

points plain to the committee:
That the Woods bill made politics
instead of business" tho basis Of ap.
pointment to membership on the COM
mission, because each governor was
compelled to make two appointments
during his term Of Office. The suggeG-
ton was made that the terms of these
commissioners should be two, -four
and six years, Giying each governor
the appoir tp,t at of one man for the
period of six years, instead of two
men for the period of three years
4 each.
This bill provides that the commis
zion shall have power to regulate the
charges and service OF all public util
tiles, but 1t contains another provision
/ which states IN expressed terms th''
no power heretofore delegated to TIE
municipalities shall be in any way e.
fected by this act. If the latter pro
vision is to control, the result will bt
that the commission would have T.
ppwer to regulate rates or service c
lighting companies. The provision
of the bill are apparently inconsistent
in this respect, said Mr.. HoCsett, an
the question will arise, Which shal,
control? The law, as 1t now stand
vests municipalities with power t,
grant franchises and to regulate rate
and service. Therefore, it must IT
suit insofar, at least, as lighting com
panes are concerned, that the only
| power of commission under this ac:
would be purely inuuisitorial, and that
! the commission would be powerless to
regulate either service or charges.
most important feature of the
laws of other states. notably Wiscon-
sin, has been omitted from this bill;
that is the feature which has refer
ence to competition. Students of po-
litical ecoromy are now agreed that
competition in the field Of natural mo-
nopoly is not only impossible and i'm
practicable, but not in the interests of
the people. 1t Is wasteful, imprac-
tical and ultimately productive of
higher rates to the users of the SER
vice.
If this act is to control public util-
to cover all public utilities operated
by the municipalities. as we'll as those
operated by companies.
The commission should be vested
with the same authority with refer
ence to competition between munich
palities and private ownership that it
has between two or more private COM
panies.
ic ncf c
troublesome to some members of the
legislature as the hives to certain
children. State uniformity and state
selection of text books break out at
every session of the Legislature.
This winter Senator Yount and
Representative Vining are the par
ticular advocates of changes in pres
ent laws regarding the selection OF
text books.
In Ohio now home rule prevails in
the selection of school books. Every
community decides for itself what
books are to be used, and boards OF
education are so hedged in with laws
that they can not change books every
time the wind changes.
AS matter of fact the school book
question is just as big subject as
any that comes before the people. In
the United States something like
S442 100000 is expended annually to
maintain the schools, Ohio does not
put up its fair share of that sum. Oi
the amount named, only $4,000, O0C
is spent for school books, or an aver
age of 63 cents each for the 10000, ,00(
pupils enrolled in the public school!
of the United States.
The cost per pupil is low-but ther,
Is some satisfaction in knowing tina
Uncle Sam, through the severa
states, is looking after the educationa
interests of 100000 growing mel
and women.
While Senator Yount and RepreseD
tative Vining are advocating uni
formity book law for Ohio, othe
states are discarding the system. II
Kentucky the education commission
appointed by the last legislature ha
recommended the abolishment of th
uniformity law and the enactment o
one providing for adoptions by loca
authorities.
Governor Sanders and State Super
intendent Harris of Louisiana, as tn
result of public scandal, recent
probed into by an investigating com
mission, recommend that the presen
state uniformity law be repealed an
local option substituted.
In Mississippi, at a recent meeting
the Lee County Teachers association
, passed a resolution condemning tn
state books and demanding home rule
That lawyers in the house do no
like the action taken by the suprem
court in the disbarment case agains
Charles A. Thatcher was made clea
when the bill of Judge Winters @
Erie county stopping the courts shor
of disbarment in punishment for COZ