The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-04-04
PUBLIC UTILITIES
ARE DISCUSSED
Iowa Legislature Takes up the Prob
lem Today of the State Having
Control and Regu-
4 lation.
LIKE WISCONSIN LAW
Sammis-crist Bill Comes up for Dis
cussion and Being Strongly
Argued Pro and
LIKE WISCONSIN Law

DES MOINr J, Iowa, April 4.-The (
Iowa legislature today took up for
discussion and settlement the problem
Should the state regulate and con-
troll public utility corporations? 1t
is presented in the Sammis-Crist bill,
made special order for today which
provides for the creation of a bic |
utilities comm ssion to have super
vision and control over all utility
corporations in the state just as the
present board of railroad commission
ers has supervision over railroads and
express companies.
As the measure now stands, report
ed with recommendation for pas
sage, it is modelled largely after the
Wisconsin law SO that municipalities
will not surrender their right to con
troll their municipal utilities under it.
/ The measure as before presented was
opposed by cities because they feared
| they would be robbed of controlling
power.
Representative l.. e. Crist of Clarke
county will make an urgent plea for
passage of the bill. That tho policy
of controlling utility corporations can
in no way work hardship upon men
4 who have invested their money in
such enterprises will be urged by the
author of the bill
4 AS a forceful argument that corpo-
rations cannot object to being controll-
\ ed it is pointed out by friends of the
measure that but recently in his an
nual report to the stockholders of his
company Theodore ~ Vail, president
of both the American Telephone and
Telegraph company and the Western
Union Telegraph company, came ou1
, with the flat and unequivocal asser
ton that Public regulation of public
service corporations has come to stay
1t ought to have come and 1T ough
to stay" This great promoter OF two
of the greatest public utility corpora
tions in the country in his report say'
: Such control and regulation can AM
: should stop all abuses of capitallza
: ton, of extortion or of overcharge
of unreasonable division of profits
: Control, or regulation, to be effective
y he says means publicity; it mean
semi-public discussion and considers
: ton before action. it means dellberf
ton, non-discrimination..
Friends of the measure are pointin
out that the country is entering upo
4 a new era of finances wherein quas
n
II control of the state through comml'
y. sions. That utility corporations car
. not find lair argument against such
s. condition as claimed and that they WI
e not suffer because of such control
IL urged bv the fact that it is admitte
d to be reasonable by Mr.. Vail, who
responsible to investors of hundred
IT, of millions of paid-in capital and Il
le the welfare of two hundred thousan
o. employees. The adoption OF the Sar
ST mis- Crist bill it is urged by its frient
IN will be a notable advancement In 6
re forts to establish relations betWee
d the public and service corporation
s. upon a sound and enduring basis.
II is further pointed out as an arg
ment in favor OF the Utilities Comm
tn sion bill that President Vali's declar
as ton is recognition by those in his
IA corporate authority of the justice
al the demand that the public shall
ne regarded as virtual partners in
as matters that pertain to the CONNIE
in welfare. Senator Sammis has char
by of the bill in the Senate and when
er reaches the floor will make an urge
ne appeal for its passage.