Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-02-10
naAauRE APPEARS plLAPlpArED
AFTER PUBLIC HEARING OF
THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
AUTHOR NOW ENGAGED
IN MAKING BILL OVER
Develops That Proposed Bill Was Un-
like Wisconsin Law and Arguments
From That State Therefore Were
Not Effective = Strong Showing
Made BY Opposition.
snecial to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican
Des Moines, Feb. 10.-Iowa legisla-
tors heard from the people OF the cites
and towns yesterday as 10 what they
think of Governor CAROLS scheme tor
a commission he would appoint TO take
over all the powers of all the cites
in relation to all public service corpo-
rations and transfer that power 10 d
commission OF five located at the state
capitol The discussion before JOINT
committees was by far the most IN
portant thing which has yet come De-
fore the legislature. Ii was neid IN Lle
senate chamber which was completely
filled There were many memo OF
the legislature, many visitors, and
large number OF the representatives OF
cities and towns and also o. corpora
tions interested.
The net result Of the hearing was 10
have the author Of the bill. 5. r -.
start in TO deliberately tear II TO pieces
and make it over so a 70 meet the op-
jections. At the start Senator Sam!llS
said he had an amendment 10 of1er
which he read Later when some other
iu1practicable the senator said that II
would be amended: later similar eN-
perience was had with other important
features.
When John MacVicar got up TO speak
he asked sarcas lically if the ernergency
clause had been left in the bill and
when informed i, was still intact he
asked that it also be stricken out; and
4 in like manner he discussed the enact
] ing clause.
I Wisconsin As An Argument.
! The support OF the bill proceeded
upon the theory that il is the Wisconsin
law, and that inasmuch as the Niscon-
! sin law works well the Sammis bill
| ought to be passed. One OF the Wis
consin commissioners told all about the
Wisconsin law and how admirably it
works out. But Macvicar read from
the Wisconsin corn1nss report to
show how the commission there does
things. He turned to one place and
found complaint filed with the COM
mission about the quality of gas on a
certain date, and when the report was
issued eighteen months later the case
was still pending. But just little ways
further he found case where an cleo
trio light company applied FOR right to
ton and granted the raise in one
month.
4 MacVicar also made a hard point
against the Wisconsin plan by reading
a letter from a business man Of Ke-
nosha showing how very badly the sys
TEN works; also letters from other
| towns Of Wisconsin and some in New
York to the effect that the commission
system doesn't always satisfy.
i Hard Raps BY Brown.
a number of hard raps We're given
the Sammis bill by Jonathan w
Brown, Of Sioux City, who spoke for
that city in opposition to the feature
of having their local municipal affairs
managed from a long distance. He
spoke especially Of the difficulty there
would be in getting before the COM
mission the matter Of a complaint and
OF having an investigation made.
Mayor Hanna, of Des Moines, and
others also spoke. There were repre-
sentatives present from Davenport and
other cities all deeply interested in de-
featng the bill.
WeIeh's Analysis.
The most complete analysis of the
bill, however, was by Robert WEIGH of
Knoxville, city attorney there. who
only few years ago was a telegraph
operator in Des Moines WEIGH had
sent out to 200 cities of Iowa letter
with blanks for information as TO the
attitude of the city administra tons
toward the utilities commission plan.
He received lis replies. These replies
showed over 100 municipality owned
plants in these cities and towns. In
reply to question as to whether it
was wise to transfer the powers of
1o<i nd al rxf
from the cities to the state eight
mayors answered yes and ninety FIVE
no. In favor Of the commission as pro-
vided in the Sammis bill two said they
were for it and ninety-five opposed. AS
regards the wisdom of indeterminate
franchises nine favored and eighty
four opposed. AS to whether rates in
these towns as now fixed were reason
ably satisfactory or not seventy three
said they are and twenty-three sal
no. He gave these figures to show the
attitude Of the people.
Much Patching Done.
Mr.. WEIGH pointed out the very great
differences between the Wisconsin law
and the Sammis bill. 1t was when he
commenced to point out these differ
ences that the amending of the bill
commenced; so that he gave it up and
cdio Aie 1eSdt ueu IL slrddSe lhdl Dill
which had been introduced two years
ago and has now been pending here a
month should need SO much patch
work He called attention to very many
features Of the Wisconsin law which
are not in the Sammis bill. in relation
to stock issued. Determinations, in
corporation in Wisconsin and the re-
s Quirement that all books and records
be kept in the state.
Joe r. Lane Of Davenport spoke up
bn the Sullivan bills to give to cities
&, authority over street railway business
ard telephones the same as over other
public service matters. He strongly
IS opposed these bills and showed how
S injustice could be done under them.
BOOSTING FOR IOWA FALLS.
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