The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-06-20
Becomes Effective Without tho
Governors Signature.
OHIO STATUTE Is DRASTIC
Comparison Shows the Winters Bill
Secured For state Most Advanced
Regulatory Measure - Wasteful
Competition is eliminated.

COlunDuS, OHiO, june Inc hoot
progressive legislation ever enacted
in Ohio became effective when the
Winters utility bill was passed after
an exhaustive study by conference
committee representing the house
and senate. 1t was then permitted to
become law without the governors
signature.
This particular legislation has fig
ured more in the public eye than any
other measure considered by this leg
islature, for the reason that it
touches either directly or Indirectly
the pocketbooks OF every consumer in
the state of Ohio.
The placing of this act on the stat
utes puts Ohio easily in the van in the
matter of really progressive ieglsia-
ton, for it is the unqualified opinion
of legal and economic experts whe
have studied this law that 1t lis the
best and most advanced now on the
statute books OF any state in the
Union.
The utilities act is based upon that
feature of economic destiny that com
petition is wasteful and useless and
a heavy burden upon the consumer;
and for this waste of duplication Is
substituted state control by a compe.
tent commission of all OF its public
utilities.
This commission is clothed with
the most complete powers. 1t can
absolutely regulate the capitalization
and expenditure of utilities, the rates
to be charged and practices to be
adopted; can compel good service
and adequate service, extensions OF
plant, etc.. can dictate the methods
of bookkeeping land accounting and
exercise close supervision over all
relations of utilities with the con-
sumer, the public and the investor.
Every utility serving the public for
profit in this state comes under the
terms of the act railroads, interurban
electric railroads, express companies,
transportation companies. gas com
| panies, electric light companies, tele-
phone and telegraph companies. etc.
There is assured to the people, who
are really Indispensable partners in
every public utility, the widest pub
licity regarding the heretofore secret
inside doings of every utility corpO.
ration In the state This information
| will be on file with the commission
at all times and open to public in
spection
Strictly local utilities, such as gas,
water and electric light, are still to
be regulated by the municipality
| with an appeal to the commission by
the consumer II he feels aggrieved
over any rate or term fixed by coun
Gil. This applies particularly to the
natural gas question, which has re-
Gently reached an acute stage in sew
eral Ohio cities, notably Columbus
where the good effect OF the !5w was
recently shown in the acceptance by
the gas company Of a 30-cent rate
where 35 cents had been demanded
with threat of turning off gas ant
taking 1t elsewhere.
| H6 OHlO law mas DtCh
to be much more comprehensive
measure from every viewpoint thar
the recently enacted New Jersey law
which experts say Is full of loopholes
while in the Ohio law there is M
chance to drive through any openings
One feature which will interest thu
consumer to great degree Is tn,
ratification of telephone seryic
throughout the state, which will b.
one of the first direct beneficial re
suits OF the law.
For long time the telephone use
In Ohio has groaned under the buI
don of two telephone systems dupl
eating their services in every cit
and hamlet in the state. The cor
: eumer has paid the freight begrudl
. ingly on the theory that competitio
In telephones protected him. TIL
consumer after q while come {
: the realization that this was not tn
kind of protection that suited hi
! pocketbook the best and became q
1 advocate OF the progressive idea tina
iNbuiaNlbh bg NlAt SNtttN ohCu'b bO gu
$ Stltuted for the wastes and ammo!
L ances incident to duplication in tell
/ phone plants. Investments and sui
c scribers.
: The telephone users insisted upp
q being heard before the committ3e
= having tho utilities bill in charge IN
II stated their view OF the situate
/ frankly. They stated that they ha
u pled competition for dozen year
$ and that 1t was not the protefio
: they thought II was and waite
r something better-in a word coptrC
Q and regulation by the state goul
give them proper protection.
-s Within IS months 1t Is preiictc
>: that Ohio will be enjoying a singh tel,
g. phone service with the state as q
= hutfer between the telephone userfnd II
=. company, This will mean Il saSing
T. many thousands OF dollars to pe tell
le phone subscribers and those who haN
K their money invested in Ohio VlepAor
securities
II - said that the plan OF lnihcntlc
n now In the process OF being w9rked o'
q, provides for the Independent fompanl
st taking over the business OF Helr con
!. petitors in practically 76 per @nt OF u