The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-01-17

objection to the public service COM
mission per se., but very earnest
plea is made that the public service
commission should be composed of
men Of integrity and of ability, and
men who have had a previous exper-
tence in the business in regard to
which they are proposing, under
color OF law, to pass regulations
and rules.
II believe a large part of the pres
ent unrest and antagonism between
corporations and the commissions and
law makers would disappear If the
corporations appeared before bodies
composed of, as we have previously
briefly referred to, men of breadth of
vision, free from favoritism and who
had warking knowledge of the prob
lens confronting the enterprises up
on which they are passing"
President Huey's Talk.
Vice President Arthur S Huey, dis
cussing the subject Of franchises"
said:
| ITO many the impression of pub
lie utility franchise is only an oppor-
tunity for personal gain-to the con-
scientfous man such possession means
an opportunity Of administering to
the public welfare A city in grant
ing franchise not only places in
the hands of the grantee an asset of
value but makes the grantee q trus-
tee of the public good. The term it.
self. public utilities, implies being
useful and therefore Of benefit to the
public. To attain this end that SER
Vice must be competent. Along with
this grant go certain legal restric-
tions and rights.
Speaking for H. NJ. Byllesby COM
pany, l say to you that our organi-
cation prefers to consider the spirit
rather than the letter of the law, be-
lteving that If we administer our af-
fairs as a public trust, we will sell
dom or never require defense of any
legal rights.
I'VE. as managers and operators
Of electric. gas, street railway and
telephone properties, prefer to re-
tain our franchises bv retaining the
confidence Of the people; to hold the
privileges conferred by the public.
not by right of law, but by right of
merit.
so thoroughly does our organiza-
tion believe in this principle, and so
anxious are we for it's genuine ap-
| licat1on in all the municipalities in
which we operate utilities, that I am
now making special effort to deeply
impress upon you its far reaching
significance
"In few other lines of endeavor do
petty activities cost so dearly as
they do in public utilities. 1t is
suicidal to adopt policy bounded by
the straight-laced terms of contract
and franchise, capsheafed by the
motto. we don't have to-
THE we don't have to- spirit, gen.
tlemen. has caused unmeasured woe
to public utility corporations. 1t was
one of the mortal sins of the old
fashioned operator. and we of the
present day are still doing penance
for Its commission.
Transact your business above
board. Frame your policy and your
projects honestly and stand pat So
you will increase respect for your oc-
cupation in the minds of your fell
low men,
Nissley Enthusiastic.
Lucian Nissley of the Grand Forks,
N. D., plant gave one of the best
talks Of the session. He said in part:
II come from Grand Forks, the
gem of the northwest; the crowned
queen of the kingdom of Wheat; the
richest part per square foot of Gods
heritage in natural wealth. l come
from the best city in a state where
farming is done by machinery, where
farmers ride in automobiles and
spend the winters in Europe to pre-
vent their becoming multiple million
aires. where banks flourish at cross
roads and merchant princes prosper
in the villages.
II come from city small in nu-
merical population compared with
some that you gentlemen represent,
but one with enough enterprise and
push and modernism to make city
of hundred thousand people. A
city which in two years spent ST.
250.0O0 for public improvements and
is ready to spend that much more A
city which built the biggest auditor
ium in the northwest in thirty days
in order to accommodate the great
crowds that insisted on hearing the
artists in the city's annual musical
event-the Nav Music festival A
city with street car system as mod
ern as that Of Chicago itself A city
where the streets are lighted by the
most modern system and rivals the
great white ways Of the metropolises.
A city where Melba was paid $4,000
for one appearance and other great
artists receive equally large sums for
appearance. A city where merchants
compete with Chicago and Minneapo-
lis and st. Louis and supply the trade
directly from their stock. A city
where every man is a hustler and
where enterprises involving hun
dreds of thousands Of dollars are de-
termined in day. In word city
flowing with milk and honey, blessed
with the best men and the most beau
uful women beneath the skies.
"Grand Forks has with it's enviro-
ments $4,000 people. but the volume
of business done and the enterprise
and progressiveness in evidence makes
a city five times that number. 1t is
the seat Of the state university as
we'll as one denominational college
and has conservatory Of music that