The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-25
PUBLIC UTILITY GOVERNMENT.

OF government for cities have proposed
from time TO time like plan for the
government of Stntes They argue Tint
commission form of government for
States would be cheaper, more effect
i've, cleaner. and i'll every way prefer
able TO the present forms of State gov
crnment, quite as much so as the com
mission form for cities is superior to
he ordinary form of city government
1t would appear that Senator Badger,
of this city. is practically of that opln-
ion, Judging from the public utilities
| bill, which he introduced in the SEN
ate on Monday. This bill practically
makes the public utilities commission
an executive board, AN administrative
board, a court, legislative body, and
an executive force (or usurpation) be-
yond parallel. it authorizes the com
mission to take practical possession OF
all forms of property in the line of
railroads, street railways, telegraph and
telephone companies, manufacturers and
distributors of electricity, and of gas
for light, power and heat. As TO all
Of these utilities, the commission is en-
powered to fix rates, to order changes
in schedules and classlfications, and TO
determine whether service is satisfac-
tory or not: and whether satisfactory
or not to fix the rate at which that
service shall be paid.
It also gives the commission power
TO enforce its own DEGREES in an eXecu
tive way; il gives that body the Judi
cial power of taking testimony, declar-
ing judgments, and Of enforcing it's own
orders with pcromptoriness unknown
to the courts Besides this, the com
mission is to sit, hear and adJudicate
on all complaints, either with reference
TO transportation or with reference to
rates and efficiency of service of all
other public service companies, so that
everything of this nature is practically
taken out of the hands of the courts
and turned over to this commission. The
powers granted arc executive, legisla-
tive, and judicial.
1t would be very difficult to con
"eivc of measure like this being up
held in the courts as valid and agree
able to the constitution The commits
sion created by this bill is empowered
to enter into any city and perform the
municipal functions Of regulating the
street railway traffic, and to take charge
of telephones. telegraph. electric and
gas plants for light. heat, and power,
and this in spite of the constitution,
which declares that no commission shall
be created to perform any municipal
function 1t takes out Of the hands of
the constitutional State authorities a
large portion of their administrative
functions And the question may well
be asked whether, since the conshtu-
tion forbids the entrusting to any COM
mission of municipal functions. it would
be constitutional TO entrust the per-
| Torrance of State administration TO
such commission; or, If no commission
| is allowed to transact any municipal
| function, would not the same inhibition
forbid tho assumption of State admin
istrativc functions by any commission
| 1t seems to he an all embracing bill,
one that is of the most drastic and pos
tive character, There appears to be
really no limit to the power over other
peoples s property that this bill confers
upon political body that may and
probably would be bitterly partisan.
| And what an opportunity 1T gives for
he machine politician to exercise his
calling in a partisan way, and recruit
from the different public utilities named
therein, the necessary funds with which
to carry on campaigns in behalf of the
party in power, The vista is unbound.
cd in this direction. and the machine
politician will view this measure with
an admiration only limited by his ca.
pacity to grasp the opportunities pre-
sentcd therein. As bill for Doodle
nothing more sweeping. more compre'
hensive, or more drastic and thorough
could possibly be conceived than this
bill offered by Senator Badger.
| If Utah has all of the railroads, all
of the street railways. telegraphs, tele
phones, manufacturers and suppliers OF
power, light and heat, and every source
of industry and employment in that
line that it desires, or ever expects
to get, then simply from the point OF
economics and tax-ralsing ability there
might be some possible argument fol
hits feverishly wide grasping bill But
if Utah wants more railroads, more
manufacturers of light. power. and heat
more street railways. telegraphs, anc
telephones, we do not know of any pos
sible way whereby that want could be
thwarted better or more certainly thar
by the adoption of this graft tfosterine
ball