Bisbee daily review., 1911-05-17
ILLINOIS WILL HAVE
 ENLARGED CONTROL
f Bill Passes Senate It VIII Give More Power to
 Commission

CHICAGO. May l6-Illisois proves progressive enough to en- large the powers and dut.es of it's raiiroad and warehouse commission, giving that body jurisdiction over steam an delectric railroads. ex press. sleeping car and steamboat companies on much the sane basis as the Interstate Commerce c om- mission. Tbe house has passed the bill the senate win after a confer ence and GoveruOr Deneen fs "spoiline for the chance" to s.gn it. It is another step iowa the intel ligent non-political regulation and control Of public utility corpora tions The present law was framed 40 years ago to meet conditions then, when electric railroads were unknown.
 In one respect the house bill is very radical. providing that the commissioners Instead Of being ap- pointed. shall be elected by the people Upon this point there prob ably will be a contest with the seii- ate. the upper house favoring ap- pointments by the governor.
 Deneen Win Sign.
 Governor Deneen will sign the bill. whether the elective feature IS Iefr in or omitted. lie is thoroughly fin favor of 8 comprehensive sys- teu Of control through a commts- sion and pubH ,ly says so in spite Of the fact that Theodore N Vat, head of the Bel companies recently declared that such -conJro' has come to stay end can and should stop all abuses of capitaliZation, Of extortiOn or of oFerch7rges. of un- reasonable division of profits" Gov ernor Deneen's statement on tho same subject was this: "The fran chises and business of pubic utii- ities are in their rature a monopoly They should be treated as such n order that the interests of the pup lie as well as those of the corpor- ations may be properly saieguarded.
 'It is too well known 10 neea the support of argument that the standards of politics in our state end municipalities have often been lowered and their Legislative b)dies dehauched through the efforts of public utilities companies.
 Authority shoulI be given to the railroad and warehouse commls- sion. or to a commission created for this specific purpose. to gather and publish all facts regarding the cost of construction, maintenance and operation of public utility cor porations. with power 10 require service adequate Tor the plbllt needs and to fix rates which Will b9 fair to the pubic. will assure tt investors a reasonable return upon their investment, and will offer in ducements for the investment o priyate capital iu public servict corporations 10 stimulate then growth as the public needs require
 If comprehensive leg.s'ation O inc character suggested were pro vided the subject Of corporate con trol would be removed to a sreate extent than at present from tn feld of politics in which it has after exercised a disturbing influence
 In the bill that has passed tn horlsc and in a similar bill, with th' elective feature eliminated, that h. Dsssed the senate. practically ever I,oint speciaed by Governor Deneel is covered.
 City Keeps Control.
 Chicago FSFEeSSiita al4fSS ~'-N N of other large cities in the stat' x,,.re successful iH amehdia2 ih bills SO that municipalities VIII re tain control Of thclT lo'al trans2p pl tation companies. Chicago lees ma no commission could improve upo nor method Of handling the iocs transportation problem, and oid n no care to run tho risk Of having he good work undCne in this direeuoi
 The rate fixing power of the con urission under the new law VIII 2 f.ntted specifically only IF on no3ut There is clause that pr hiblts the commission from lnte ferinz with the 2-cent passenz ze rafe. Tn aH other matters the P mission will occupy the same pos fJou with res~ect to railroads' e nress steamb 7at sieeping car ai electric an dinterurhan compani' Sn the state that the Interstate GOT ,rerce Commission holds to|ar' inc railroads Of the country