The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-04-19
PUBLIC UTILITIES
Law VIII Be Enacted Regulating
Big Industries.
WINTERS BILL TO PASS
Senate Gives Hearing on Measure
and viii Make Early Report--Ree.
ulation Of Telephone Companies
Included and Mergers Permitted.

Columbus, Especially There Is
going TO be real regulation OF public
utilities. including the telephone bust.
ness before the Legislature adjourns.
Governor Harmon is bound to fulfll
the obligations entered into in his
partys platform for the regulation OF
all public utilities and Republican
leaders are willing to help him be-
cause their platform also favors regu.
lation.
The senate committee on railroads
and telegraphs, before which is now
pending the Yount telephone regula-
tion bill, and the Winter, utilities bin
recently passed so overwhelmingly by
the house, has been giving the ques-
tlon of the proper legislation the
most careful consideration. The com.
mittee Is having serbs of public
hearings In order that al sides may
be heard.
The senate proposes getting all the
light on the question thai II Is possi-
bic to get. and with this In view has
been making Thorough study OF the
Wisconsin and New York public ser
vice commission acts, both OF which
are considered most progressive types
OF regulatory legislation The com
mittee Is on record as desiring sug.
gestions from 8. Interests. and espe.
clally from those who pay the
freight"--the consumer or user.
AS II is, the Winters utilities bill,
thanks to Representative Langdon OF
Warren county, has a lot OF well
grown and very sharp teeth, and
there is much that the public service
corporations don't like, snd there will
probably be more and sharper teeth
when the COMMITTEES finishes its work.
That there is an insistent and grow.
ing demand from the public for regu.
lation was shown especially in the
matter OF the Yount bill which
brought out thousands OF letters from
all over Ohio urging strict regulation
OF telephone service and rates. These
letters are still pouring in from com
mercisl and civic bodies in every To-
NahAN ICDitntnl ONtlN
class Of telephone us9, the active
business interests. lar4 and small;
lawyers. doctors, in fad, all the pro-
fesslons, and users of house tele-
phones as well The Numbers OF the
house and senate have inalyzed these
letters and find that the sentiment
crystallizes into this:e
First-That competition, especially
between telephone companies, is not
an effective or desirable remedy for
abuses incident to monopoly; but, on
the other hand, tends to increase and
perpetuate them.
Second-That regulation by law
provides a proper and effective means
for protecting the public in its right
TO efficient service at just and rea-
sonable rates
Third-'rhat such regulation having
been adopted as the proper thing by
other states and made effective by
proper laws, should be adopted by
Ohio, and resort to competition should
not be made unless a public necessl-
~ therefor is clearly shown to exist.
The sentiment is expressed by
many, based upon actual experience,
that competition usually Iheans a bit
ter struggle with low RAIDS until one
OF the companies is forced out OF the
field; when the rates are boosted
and the public consequently made 10
bear the brunt of the battle.
The demand is for a unified ser.
vice under proper restrictions. and
contemplates having tile telephone
business managed by tile state
through the medium of The railroad
commission.
A telephone subscriber In Akron.
writing TO his representative in tie
legislature, has this to say:
I'VE have. two telephone companies s
here where one might as we'll be pro-
yiding the service. II they are allow
ed TO set together il will save expense e
for those who have two telephones 5
and give more service to those who
have cne
"fhe company which has the great.
er number Of telephones is owned To-
sally, and we want TO see our own
people In control OF the business.
The bill provides protection for
telephone users In the matter OF rates
and quality and extent OF service,
and should certainly like TO see you
vote for H."
The feeling as expressed by the
consumer in the telephone matter ap.
plies. the senate committee feels,
equally to every business OF serving
the public. Chairman Dean, who was
somewhat Indifferent on the matter
OF regulatory legislation in the be.
ginning, has been inquiring into the
subject In a thorough and earnest
manner, and has become interested
IN the whole proposition and feels
that the demand for this law Is such
that II can not be denied Senator
John n. Stockwell OF Cleveland, the
iamented Tom L. Johnson's lieuten-
ant in his civic fights; Senator David
Tod 9f Youngstown. Senator Todd OF
Columbus, Senator Dore OF Tiffin. and
practically all other members OF the
senate. regardless OF party ties. are
giving favorable consideration to this
question. because II is one in which
every citizen OF the state Is vitally