Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-01-27
UTILITIES MEASURE ONE OF ZIG
QUESTIONS sEFoPE
LEGISLATURE.
sAMM,s LEADS OPPOSITION
AND HAS OTHER PLANS
Meeting to Be Held Feb. 2 20 Hear
Arguments For and Against Mar
shall County Mans Bill Giving Cities
Control Of Service Corporations
Health Board Members Knock.

the Van Law bill, Swing cities TIE
power 10 regulate ana eontro. ali puelic
utilities save the stree, railway ana
! telephone systems developed in the
1 join: session. % ne senate ana house
corporations committees and The senate
judiciary committee yesterday after
noon.
Senator Sa=.mis. chairman ot the
senate committee on corporations, ard
author - i. bill putting the regulation
% a.! public service corporations in the
hands o. STATE public se-v!ce commits
son. made TIE main argument aga:aS:
the Var Law measure
! Numerous Representatives % public
utilities were n attendance al -he hear
Ing, as Were representatives OF he Des
Moi-es CRY council. he, no arguments
we-e heard. Z ajo-5;y declaring they
we're unpcepa-ed g, This time 70 express
opinions.
The Van Law ard Saan.:s bills ara
other measures along ne same linz WI!
D. taken 10 in h.g hearing -, for
Thursday. FEB. :. This date MAS So
upon -aeues- u hose wishing 10 argue
fo- and aga:-s. me measures
Senator Va. Yaw. il setting forth
he purpose O. his Dill. referred 20 the
FAC, thai cities ara always having
trouble = regulating public Utilities
mainly because cities have no. .h4
power by watch they can secure in
formation regarding the companies
Ii declared -h- C:-ies 81 p-assn. are
= JUS such & p-e6ics1aec7. as & eor--
would ~, we're -h= cou-. deprived %
1lae right % s9bpoe.a:ng witnesses
Ta= Van Lax bill stvaS re cities :he
power % summon public se--i2= cor
po-a-ton officers before hem and oues-
ton them under oaEh as % NE oper-
alton Of the company. ana also gives
ne c!-:es power 70 examine .l= books
o. companies a. viii Th4 I'll! a,so
gives cities -ne pow=. . TX rats
Senator Sanuis. II speaking II b.
haf OF his public service commission
bill and agans. TIE Van Law measure
asserted ,tla- the latter nil saou.d no:
ae passed because i vas 10. brad
/ enough i. rs scope
Leaves Gu. Utilities.
He urged sSatns- THE Van Law bill
that i cid Tot include Telephone ard
street car companies and declared ary
bill ina, did rot % tbs xas piece
meal legislation that can have no otra-
er result. than 10 impede the settle.
ms-t Of this question.
| Re then declared u-6y.re opposition
20 the Van Law bill. asserting tina, he
! would fight any hallway measure 81
every means il ny pows. ard 20 ,ae
last"
j Another objection he urged aga.1s.
the Van Law bill was that !. had 70
provision requiring Or compelling CITY
] councils TO adjust rates or investigate
unsatisfactory cendiricns He de-
ciared this necessary. His bill. he SAID
made Il obligatory upoa the putlic
service commission 70 Investigate co--?-
plants made by Hf-y citizens. or NV
I town, or city council
He further declared thai the resu;a-
tio- o. public service Utilities must pe
removed from The mira % petty !ol-
tiles where it IS as long as city conn
c-!s are vested with Inc power Of reg
ulst:ou-"
He said he did not intend i, reflect
upon the integrity or honesty Of c.,-
Officials. but asserted that i, was :.
( TACT tina: the question ot whether
candidate for city alde-ms. vas for Or
against public service utilities entered
into every election.
The result IS that We have cit.
councils either for Or agains, thu pub
lie service Utilities. ard IL either eyeIst
IL IS unfair" sale Senator Sanuai..
He further declared tbs average nan
or the city council Of any c:-y is not
ca able Of fixing rates for public ser
vice corporations, because the average
councilman lacks the education along
scientific lines ard because he lacks
knowledge Of thai particular suajec,.
In order 70 regulate & pubic seq
vice corporation a man must have 2
thorough knowledge Of the operation
Of public service corporations" said
Senator Sammis. The average city
councilman is no more capable Of FIX
ing rates than am I. with my slight
knowledge Of the question.
He commended his bill 10 the COM
Inittee because il was wide ard gan
eral in its scope. including al ,ubIic
service utilities IN all cites and towns
OF the state and applying IN all alike
He declared any measure that did not
do this should roc be passed Or con-
sidered.
Van Laws Reply.
Senator Van Law, in responding to
Senator Sanimis. declared he was
ready and willing at any time to de-
bate the merits Of the two bills He
said the people living in the cities Of
Iowa would not be slow 70 object to
any measure taking from the city
councils the power to regulate their
public service utilities.
In the hearing in two weeks il IS an
ticipated that the bills will be thor