The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-04-05
Vote Was 80 to is and Provides Com
mission of Five Men to Super
wise all Such In State
of Iowa.
NOW GOES TO SENATE
If Bill Becomes Law 1t Requires Pub
iIcIty Of the Business Done by
Electric Companies
and Others.

DES MONIES, April 5-The house
of representative of the Iowa legis-
lature yesterday afternoon passed al
most unanimously the Sammis- -Crist
Public Utilities Commission bill which
has as its purpose the increasing size
OF the present board of railroad COM
mlssioners to five and placing under
their control all public service corpo-
ratlons, such as telephones, tele-
graphs, power companies, etc, except
ing that the commission take none of
the powers Of local control from cities
over municipal utilities.
Representative Crist made force
full argument for his measure stating
that "All honest utilities ought not to
object to public control and that such
would not object to the public par
ticipating in the management of their
affairs He was fortified to meet
any contrary argument with copy
OF the recent report to stockholders
by President Theodore F. Vail, who
in that report confessed that public
regulation Of public service corpora
tions has come to stay" and further
admitted that 'ft ought to have come
and ought to stay
Mr.. Crist in urging the measure
pointed out that the only public utili-
ty interest that could be injured by
such commission was the one try
! ing to deceive the public A company
/ doing an honest business on business
principles, he said, could not object
to opening its books to public com
missions and disclosing its investment
and earning. Mr.. Crist urged that the
public Is willing to encourage the in
vestment of capital in utility corpora
tions and willing such capital earn a
fair return on the investment, but he
contended that companies operating
under public franchise have not the
right to make abnormal profits
through eXtortionate rates or to Grip
pie service through unfair discrimina-
ton. He urged that the state control
proposed by the Utilities Commission
bill would encourage the highest pos
sible standard in the plants, greatest
extensions possible and the highest
efficiency. A state commission, he
pointed out would enforce rigid econ
omy in operation, thus gaining the
best possible rates for the consuming
public.
The bill after its passage was inn
mediately messaged to the senate,
where it was at once referred to the
Sitting committee of which j. U. Sam
mis-, coauthor of the measure, is
chairman. 1t is expected the senate
committee will report the bill for pas
sage before the end of this week.
Senator Sanlanis will present the argu-
senate chamber.
This bill, should i, become a law,
would require all utility companies to
file with the new commission under
oath showing
/. The amount of it's authorized
capital stock. and the amount thereof
issued and outstanding.
2. The amount of it's bonded in
debtedness and the amount of it's
bonds and other forms of indebted
ness and the amount of its bonds and
other forms of Indebtedness issued
and outstanding.
5. Its receipts and expenditures
during the preceding year.
4. The amount paid as dividends
upon its stock and interest upon its
bonds.
3. The amount paid as salaries to
its officers and the amount paid as
wages to its employees.
1t is further provided the commits
sion shall make physical valuation
of all utilities and may control them
with respect to rates and operation
as it judges fair from evidence Sc
cured.