Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-04-10
THURSDAY. APR. 10. 1918.
REGuLATION on C0MPETITIONl

PERSISTENT rumors, cmanating from sources which
profess to be well-informed, say that the Board
Of Directors OF the Street Sewer Department will
deny the application of the Peoples Light Heat and
Power Company for franchise to sell electricity in
this city. Would II be we'll for that board
slider carefully the consequences which likely
follow action behalf Of the public service
corporations which enjoy a monopoly in the local
lighting field?
Thousands of persons in the city Of Wilmington al
ready indignant because the State Senate, in
Difference to the wishes of lobby representing GER
public service corporations in this city defeated
with brutal disregard OF the public WILL amendments
to the Public Utilities act which would have made
the Public Utilities Commission in this city rogula-
tive and corrective agent in fact well IN name.
In view of the fact that a obbyridden State Senate
has denied to the people Of Wilmington the safe
guards and benefits that necessarily would to
them from regulation, we think would be the
height Of official indscretion, II not folly, for the
Board of Street and Sewer Directors to inhame the
public nina still further by denying to the people the
safeguards and benefits which necessarily would
crue to them from competition in unregulated field
Wholly apart from the merits OF the controversy, we
think il would be exceedingly impolitic thing to do
The people, justly indignant because OF the sub
servency OF The State Senate the influence of pub
lie service corporations and their Hobbies, are in no
humor at this time to have similar display Of sub
serviency from the Roard OF Street and Sewer Drec-
tors. could such display of subservency at
inopportune time.
We arc clearly Of the opinion that II the question of
unregulated monopoly unregulated competition
submitted TO ths voters of Wilmington today or
tomorrow, votes would he cast in favor of un-
regulated .cos~s ltion to every vote in favor Of
unreguated monopoly The action OF the State SEN
ate in denying regulation has called home 10 the
mind of tho public the necessity for competition, and
It viii come, surely the night follows the day.
unless the existing public service monopoes submit
to regulation. Any declaration which the Board of
Directors of the Street and Sewer Department may
make any action that it may take in favor of
regulated monopoly only will to hasten regua-
ton competition and to make more unpopular an
official body that has popularity which it af-
ford to sacrifice for the sake of the future welbeing
of public service monopolies
We have read with much interest the several pro-
CARNATIONS and fulminatons which the Wilmington and
Philadelphia Traction Company has launched against
the Peoples Light, Heat and Power Company. To
mind they neither convincing nor conclusive In
discussion OF them wish it to be understood
clearly that hold no brief for the Peoples Light
Heat and Power Company What say in its be-
half is due merely to the fact that it stands for
petition, nhie the existing companies stand for
regulated monopoly.
The first proclamation issued by the the Whining
ton and Philadelphia Traction Company was in the
nature of history Of franchises for electric light
and power privileges in this city TO our mind that
a discreditable exposition of the lengths to
which the light 0nG power monopoly had gone TO
petuate its monopoly. The proclamation shows clear
ly, the signature Of the Wilmington and Phila-
delpha Traction Company, that the monopoly defeated
ali the franchises it could and bought up all
the franchises IL could defeat history shows
that result that kill-of- -buy-up policy the
monopoly a monopoly exists today The inference
conveyed by that proclamation that the Peoples
Light, Heat and Power Company to obtain the
franchise it would it for speculative purposes and
sell out We heard the same sort of a story many
years ago when the Peoples Railway Company sought
TO invade the local traction field But let Il be borne
in mind that the Peoples Railway still is in the hands
of its original owners while the railway prop
critics represented by the Wilmington and Phla-
delphia Traction Company have been sold thrice to
speculative interests, and, If mistake not the cleo
trio light and power end Of il also has sold three
times. It to that the burden Of the specu-
latve and seout features of the situation rests upon
the Wilmington and Philadelphia Traction Company
and not either the Peoples Light Heat and
Power Company or the Peoples Railway Company.
Passing to the next proclamation we find that il
contains intimaton that Wilmingtonians went
to Pittsburgh. with the knowledge and consent Of
Richard w Crook, general manager Of the Peoples
Railway, and negotiated with the president of the
Wilmington and Philadelphia Traction Company for
the sale of the Peoples Railway property Mr.. Crook
denies that he authorized had knowledge OF such
negotiations In short. the only effect Of that
proclamation TO raise a sharp question OF veracits
between those who formulate the procamations FOR
the unreguated lighting monopoly and NJ Crook
The fast remains that the Peopes' Railway wa moi
Sold that still is in the hands rs original own
ers; Vat continues 70 1ell six tickets Tor twenty
I'VE cess. and that il had hand the lobby Rorl
in the State resulted IN the defect Of th,
Public Utilities law amendments and the. perpetua
ton o. the lighting monopoly here Nor % We thinl
that the repeated intlmation IN the next proclama
ton that the peoples' Railway is for sale has mad.
much Of :mpsossion upon ibe public mind. partcu