Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-27

lSlature held a joint caucus thursday
evening at the rooms of the judiciary
committee for the purpose of getting
in line in regard to a public utilities
commission. The result was the COM
hitting of the party to q bill provid-
ing for public utilities commission
of five t" have charge of the regula-
ton of all public service corporations.
and the adjustment of the railroad
commission.
The caucus was held behind closed
doors but Oliver Otis of Rockland was
designated by the caucus to give a re-
port of the deliberations to the press,
which duty he performed in very
agreeable manner.
The caucus was attended by practi-
cally all of the Senate and House
Democrats that were in the city. Sem
ator Boynton, chairman of the caucus
committee, presided and Representa-
tive Merrifield of Rockland was ehos-
en- secretary.
This caucus, Mr. otis explained, was
the outcome of q recent meeting at
Portland at which Senatorelect John
|s9n. and Representative Pattangall
and Scates were appointed to draw a
tentative public utilities bill in line
with that of other states, but suited to
Maine requirements and conditions.
The rough draft was only completed
about two weeks ago and up to
Thursday night all the minor matters
of detail We're not completed. The bill
was originally drawn along the lines Of
the Wisconsin public utilities bill but
10
tons of this State. Later the bill now
pending in Ohio drawn under the guild
ance of Governor Harmon was con-
sidered and some of its features in
Corporated.
AS the bill at present stands and as
it was reported Thursday night to the
caucus its leading features are thcse I:
1t provides for the creation of a pub
lie utilities commission of five. who
are to hold office for a term of five
years, the term Of one member of the
commission to expire each year. 1t is
proposed to get frst-class men for the
commission, the idea being to ray two
of them $4,000 per year and the other
three $500 This public utilities com
mission will have all the powers of THE
railroad commissioners, including the
granting CT charters under certain
conditions and when the public utili-
ties commission is set in operation the
old railroad commission will be abol
ished
The new commission will have
power II regulate rates OF railroads,
steam and electric. gas. telephone and
water rates. in short those OF all pub
lie service corporations. one peculiar
feature of the proposed measure is that
it provides that upon the approval of
a stated number of citizens the pow
ers of the commission may be invoked
for the remedYing of rates. and if the
corporation proceeded against shall bt
found to be maintaining just rates
the state shall pay the expense of the
proceeding, while on the other hand
ii the rates are unreasonable. the Of
Tending corporation will be obliged tc
pay the costs.
When the discussion in regard to tbs
measure first opened. Representative Kel
liner of Portland made some inquiry il
regard to the bill and its provisions were
explained in detail by Representative
Williamson of Augusta Representativ,
Scates of Westbrook who has beef
chosen to present the bill for this public
utilities commission in the Legislator.
and who will do SO at an early date. was
the principal speaker of the evening, adj
vancing many arguments in favor of the
measure. Other speakers. all in favor
of the bill, were Speaker Morcy of thf
House, President Clifford of the Senate
Senator Staples of Knox and Representa-
tives Wilson of Auburn, Goodwin Of Bid
deford and PattangalI of Waterville
1t was unanimously voted to stand he
hind the bill when it was offered in the
Legislature, and Judging from the report
from the caucus it is to have practically
undivided Democratic support in it's pro
gress in both branches
1t is hardly possible for the Democrat
lie members of the Legislature to get to-
gether without discussing the matter OF
State finances from their standpoint. and
so it was not at all surprising to learn
that the financial question was discussed
to some extent at this joint caucus The
discussion ended with the adoption of al
|. order calling for the appointment of {
BIZ partisan committee to consist of three
senators and five representatives to in
quire into the financial condition of tn,
State and make a report of the actua
condition of the finances of the State al
| the present time.
| In the course of the discussion it was
suggested that the committee needed wa.
one composed of men who could ado
and subtract and were honest enough t.
| report things as they found them" ane
| it was further suggested that they shoulc
| be men capable of explaining the condi