Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1911-02-16
Public Utilities

Public Utilities
Senator George Wright has a bill
providing that all public utilities shall
be placed under the supervision OF the
department of the railroad commits
sioners. The plan is to have the same
regulation of the telephone, telegraph,
etc, that the state maintains over the
railroads.
The principal grievance against the
present system is that there is prac-
tically no basis upon which charges
OF unfairnesS can be made against a
corporation. There is no way in
which the state can legitimately get
at the facts regarding the actual cost
of maintenance of any Of these big
concerns: what their expense of trans
acting business NAV be or to determ-
inc their profits. These are the very
satisfactory adjustment OF any dis
putes can be settled.
The Wright bill would seem to over
come these objections. The railroad
commission is given the power to
value all public utilities of the state
and these utilities are compelled to
keep and render periodically to the
commission, accurate and uniform &C
counts of their business. The books
of the firms shall be open to inspec-
ton at all times. The commission IS
delegated the authority to determine
and order necessary and reasonable
rates, charges and regulations. They
are to keep informed of all new con-
struction and keep records of the cost
When rate schedules are determined
thy shall be recorded and the files
shall be accessible to the public at
all times. This feature of publicity
it might be added. is in exact accord
with the we'll known views of former
Governor Folk OF Missouri
When a corporation charges more
than the published rate, they will
have violated the law and are subject
to penalty.
Any reliable mercantile or manu-
featuring society or any body of TWEEN
ty-five or more persons may render
complaint to the commission, which
shall be deemed sufficient for an in
Nestigation The commission may an
point an agent for the investigation
and if the complaint is found to be
iustifable, the corporation must stand
the cost. Should municipality at any
time desire to purchase utility, they
may do so at a fair valuation of the
property which shall be determined
by the commission
The bill is looked upon very favor
ably by many of the influential mem
bers of the senate
Representative Serman's House Bill
No. II, is having hard time getting
out of the committee without hcim y
loaded down with amendments, but
there is hope of its escaping. The bill
provides for the incorporation of cities
under commission. Objection has been
raised to the idea of having the com
mission revoke the licenses Of saloons
Certain persons, it seems, would pre-
fer to have this done by process OF
law, which would mean the loss OF
weeks and possibly months in the
courts. The supreme court las made
rulings which grant the municipalities
the power to revoke licenses without
carrying the matter into the courts.
Regarding salaries. it has been sug-
gested that they be arranged on a
percentage basis. The objection t.
this plan is that certain commission
ers, on account of certain duties mient
receive much larger salaries than 9TH
ers that have equal responsibilities.
Following out their suggestions in
the Soldiers Home report the men,
bers of the investigating committee
have introduced a bill in both houses,
calling fer board Of control, con ist-
ing OF three members. for the home
The head of the INSTITUTE would be
known as permit ndent and neitt er
he nor the board members need be
Old soldiers. Military discipline would
be dispensed with and provision is
made that disabled soldiers of the
Philippine instruction can be ono
inmates nell as veterans &C The
other wars
Representative Bigelow's primary
bill and school code both get chance
at being heard on the floor OF the
horse by their being renested favor
ably by the committee. The latter is
made imperative until after the ses-
sion of the legislature of 1913, in order
that it might receive full considera-
ton by the people.
| Aberdeen The benefits o. system
attic saving is strikingly i,lustrat-
ed in the case OF the school chill
dren of Big Stone, S. D.. town of
!; 800 Or 600 people. Five or six years
ago Gold & Co.. the Big Stone bank
ers, presented the school children Of
the town with small iron saving banks
land encouraged them to start a saw
] ing account at the bank. Now the
savings accounts OF the children of the
i town asgTeEute over i,zJU, and the
youthful depositors hare acquired til.
habits OF saving which will prove
very profitable to them in the years.
to come
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