The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-05-05
UTILITY BILL
FULL Of TEETH
Winter Bill Strengthened as Re-
ported Out by Senate Commit
mite, and n Surprise.
Includes Successful Regulatory
Features of Laws of other
States Now In Vogue.

Columbus, O.-(speclalJ-The uth'
tiles bill as reported out by the SEN
ate committee on railroads and tele'
graphs, Senator Dean, chairman, is u
surprise to those who had prophesied
that the measure would be weakened
In the senate. The bill comes out full
Of teeth, having all the regulatory
and supervisory powers Of the most
commended commission laws Of other
states.
II follows closely and is a com
posite of the older utility laws Of Wis
consin and New York, takes some
things from the recently enacted
Michigan law, and much from the law
recently passed in New Jersey
through the efforts of Governor Wood
row Wilson
Utilities that do not look with favor
upon the right Of the people TO regu-
late them through a commission will
not be pleased with the features Of
the bill providing for close supervi-
sion and the heavy fines and reniten'
tiary sentences TO be inflicted for vio'
lations of the law.
No additional burdens are to be
placed upon the taxpayers, for the eS
penses of the commission are to be
met from a special tax levied upon
the utilities affected in proportion to
their gross earnings.
Railroads, express companies, tele-
phone and telegraph companies, gas
companies. traction and interurban
companies, in fact, every utility serv-
ing the public for a profit, comes un-
der the railroad commission. which is
TO be known hereafter as the Public
Service Commission of Ohio.
Opposition to the bill is likely to
come from the natural gas interests,
owned by Standard OIL, in particular,
because Of the stringent regulatory
features Of the measure.
Nevertheless, the friends Of state
regulation are expected to pass the
bill by an overwhelming vote in the
senate and then have it concured in
at once by the house. The measure |
fulflls the party platform pledges |
made by both political parties last
fall.
The bill as reported by the senate
committee on railroads and tele- /
graphs creates the public service COM
mission of Ohio and divides the pub
lie service corporations of the state
into two great classes, railroads and
public utilities. Under the term rail
roads" are included railroads, inter
urban and traction companies, water
transportation companies, express
companies and the like, and any COM
panies operating car equipment, such
as parlor, dining. sleeping cars etc.
Under the term public utilities"
are included telephone and telegraph
companies, electric light companies,
heating companies, cooling or storage
companies, power companies, artih-
cial and natural gas companies, pipe
line companies for the transportation
Of natural gas or oil, waterworks,
service and signalling COM
panies. The only exceptions to the
law are the utilities operating not for
profit and such public utilities as may
be owned or hereafter acquired by
any nic'-ality
Commission Has Full Power.-Tho
section giving the public service com
mission jurisdiction over all Of these
utilities is very broad and compre-
lensive. 1t shall have power, through
It's members or by inspectors or en-
1loyes, to examine all books and rec
ords of any public utility, and to com
pei the production Of records and the
and testimony Ct wit
lesses at hearings. The commission
shall have power to examine and
Keep informed as to the general con.
litions Of all utilities, their capitalize
ion, their franchises, and the manner
n which their properties are oper
tied and managed.
Public to Get Facts.-The commits
lion shall establish system of ac-
counts to be kept by the utilities, and