The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-05-08
Is Favored by Governor Osborn
Of Michigan and Other Gov
ernors Who Express
Their Views
FEDERAL COMMISSION Plan
Executive Of This State Believes That
National Public Utilities Commits
mission Should Be Created
For the Work.

Denver, Colo. May S.-Governor
Chase $. Osborn. of Michigan, in re-
| ply to a recent inquiry sent out by a
Denver news bureau, asking his views
of the position taken by Theodore N
Vail, president of the Western Union
Telegraph company, approving the reg
ulation of public service corporations,
makes the following statement:
II am in favor of the public regu-
lation of public corporations. A pub
lie corporation does business by spe-
cial warrant of character and organiza-
tion for the public. II is immune from
many of the responsibilities Of private
business and for this immunity it
should pay something and be also sub
ject to public supervision and direc-
lion. | have sometimes thought that
national public utilities commission
should be created to carry on just such
work as Mr.. Vail approves of IN the
direction of public regulation of public
corporations"
Gov. West OF oregon.
Governor Oswold West, of Oregon.
comedies with the views of Governor
Osborn, and puts himself on record as
follows:
"As soon as the heads of all large
public corporations bow to the inevi-
table, as Mr.. Vail has done, and join
with the friends of public service regu-
lation i'm their attempt to solve this
most important problem, the sooner
will the old fight between the people
and these corporations be ended and
they will be given by the people that
decent and fair treatment to which
good conduct and fair dealing entities
them.
Government regulation of public
service corporations has come to stay
II was not understood atfirst except by
few close students of the question.
but now both the people and the cor
porations are beginning to see the ad-
vantages of such regulation. The peo-
pie are finding that it opens up the
way whereby the humblest citizen of
the land can find prompt and adequate
redress against the largest corpora
tions and with little or no cost to him
self. The corporations are finding that
I they are getting fair treatment at the
hands of the State and Federal COM
missions and that better understand
ing between the people and the rail-
roads is being brought about. These
companies are finding that they can
turn to the commissions for protection
against ill-advised and hostile legisla-
tion, with the result that as govern
ment regulation is extended the rail-
road Hobbies at the state and Federal
capitols will gradually disappear.
Many of these public service cor
porations have grown so great that
they have become an important factor
in our system of government and are
becoming more so every day. The
time will come when they will cease
to be footballs for stock spectators,
and their stocks will be looked upon,
largely due to the fact that they are
under government control. as a safe
and sane investment for the small in
vestor"
Gov. Carey OF Wyoming.
Inasmuch as Mr.. Vail Of the big
Business interests I'm the country is
the first to come out openly in favor of
public regulation OF corporations, his
stand has created no small degree of
comment. bu has met with general
approval. Governor Joseph NJ. Carey
Of Wyoming, makes the following
statement:
u believe that every man who
thinks at all in this United States has
come to the conclusion that there
should he such public supervision of
corporations that would stop all abus-
es Of capitalization or all over-charges
and unreasonable distribution of pro-
nts.
Corporations themselves need the
protection and are deserving Of IL. and
such is public sentiment with refer
cnce to these matters that there will
have to he such regulations as defined
| by Mr.. Vail, or the corporations will he
unable TO obtain that just treatment
OF which they arc justly deserving"
Cows. Burke and Shafroth.
'T am heartily in favor of the public
regulation Of corporations" writes Co
vernon John Burke of North Dakota.
Governor John r. Shafroth, Of Colo
RADIO. makes this statement:
"The day has passed when the pub
lie will permit the exchange Of prop
erty worth n few dollars for n large
amount of capital stock Of a company,
and then permit the corporation, by in
creased prices enacted from the pub
lie. pay dividends upon such over-cap-
italizations. 7 hope that Mr.. Wallis
view will produce a public sentiment
which will demand such a law in every
state In the union"