The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-01-20

| where heartburnings and unfair ad.
vantages CT arguments on one side
or the other Of the case should be
avoided. 1t would appear monstrous
that the policies OF a mercantile as
ISOLATION OF corporation Should be re-
viewed and governed by a board
composed OF physicians, clergymen
or lawyers. 1t would be perhaps
equally inappropriate il the same
mercantile organization were 10 have
its affairs upon and rules made for
its government by board made up
OF public service officers and of
farmers, and so on through the cate
CORY.
Public Service Commissions.
''On the broad question OF public
service commissions ! believe, speak
ing for all of my associates, there is
no objection to the public service
commission per Sc, but very earnest
plea is made that the public service
commission should be composed of
men Ct integrity and OF ability, and
men who have had a previous eX-
perience in the business in regard to
which they arc proposing, under
color of the law, to pass regulations
and rules.
Il believe Il large part of the pres
ent unrest and antagoniSm between
corporations and the commissions
and lawmakers would disappear if
the corporations appeared before
bodies composed Of, as we have pre-
viCusly briefly referred 10. men of
breadth of vision, free from favorit-
ism and who had n working knowl-
edge of the problems confronting
the enterprises upon which they are
passing"
Remarks BY Vice President. 4
Vice president Arthur S. Huey,
discussing the subject of fran
chises" said: ITO many the posses
sion of public utility franchise IS
only an opportunity for personal
gain--to the conscientious man such
possession means an opportunity of
administering to the public welfare
A city in granting a franchise not
only places in the hands of the
grantee an asset of value but makes
the grantee a trustee Of the public
good. The term itself, public utili-
ties, implies being useful and there
fore OF benefit to the public: To
attain this end that service must be
competent Along with this grant
go certain legal restrictions and
rights. !
Speaking fer H. NJ. Byllesby &
Co., I say to you that: our organiza-
ton prefers to consider the spirit
rather than the letter Of the law, be-
lieving that if we administer our af-
fairs as a public trust, we will sell
dom Or never require defense of
any legal rights.
Retain Confidence of People.
eve, as managers and operators
OF electric gas, street railway and
telephone properties, prefer to re-
tain our franchises by retaining the
confidence of the people; to hold the
privileges conferred by the public,
not by right of law, but by right of .
merit
$50 thoroughly does our organiza
ton believe in this principle. and SO
anxious are we for its genuine APP
plication in all the municipalities in
which we operate utilities, that |
am now making a special effort TO
deeply impress upon you its far
reaching significance.
''In few other lines Of endeayor do .
petty practices cost so dearly as
they do in the operation of public .
utilities. It is suicidal to adopt IA
policy bounded by the straightlaced
terms of contract and franchise.
capsheafed by the motto I'VE don't
have to-"
What Causes tho Woe.
''rThe we don't have to- spirit,
gentlemen, has caused unmeaSured
woe to public utility corporations. 1t
was one CT the mortal sins Of the
old-fashioned operator. and we of the
present day are still doing pennance
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
occupation in the minds of your fell
low men,"
One of the matters of general in.
tercst to be considered is the cstab-
lishmcnt of an employees magazine.
Tonight the delegates will visit the