Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-03-01
STATE BACKWARD IN FRAMING
LAWS FOR REGULATION OF
UTILITIES.
TAoRNE SUGGESTS THAT
ORIGINAL MEASURE BE PASSED
Physical Valuation Of Property Of Rail-
roads as We'll as Service Corpora.
tions Feature Of Utilities Commission
Bill Advocated by Commissioner as
Valuable Feature.
Special TO Times-Republican.

! Special TO Times-Republican.
| les AIo;nes, March IA physical
valuation of the property of the -ail-
| roads Of Iowa as well as of the prop
: erty of public service corporations
i should Dc enc definite purpose of the
I proposed public utilities commission
according TO Clifford Thorne, OF the
railway commission, and he has pre-
scented this phase of the matter TIC the
men engaged in framing and perfectil-
the new bill. This and the retention Of
the independent office of commerce
counsel will make the commission in7-
menseiy valuable.
| Il sincerely hope" he says, that the
| law for regulation of public utilities
viii provide for valuation Of the rail-
| roads and public utilities of the state.
| All the other states having such COM
| missions SO provide. In this connec-
ton great care should be taken TO avoid
expensive duplication in the valuations
made by the state railroad commission.
the state tax commission and the state
executive council The public Utility
commissions in other states are en-
powered 10 make valuations. Repre-
sentative Larrabee has introduced bill
authorizing the executive council! to in
cur the necessary expenditure IN max
ing valuations, and ! am informed cili
being considered eor the establishment
Of state tax commission also gives
that commission authority 10 perform
the same task This would be an un-
fortunate duplication.
Wants Original Law.
Iowa has an opportunity of franz
ing public utility law OF its own or
merely copying after the law OF some
other state This state has Jagged far
behind Others in her public utility reg
ula,ion. She is far from being in tie
leadership in this great new field.
Hughes OF New York. LaFollette OF
Wisconsin. Johnson Of California ara
others have given their best thought
10 this subject. Iolva's opportunity lies
right here. While we have not leo. we
can profit by the experience OF other
states: we can investigate and make
use of the best features of legislation
in all those states. We can find out o!
actual inyestiga ton what provisions o.
,bese other statutes are wise and ben
escial. and what have failed in actuai
practice.
During the past year ! have tahe..
occasion 10 ask strong members OF
! commissions in these states Wha'
fundamental changes they would make
in their laws u they were UP ioT re-
drafting. and what in their judgment
we're the hes, provisions in thei: re-
snec7iye statutes a few ideas which
have been suggested by these men
see,7 valuable 10 me. II may not be
aT2;ss TO call the attention OF those
VIZ chance 10 be interested in this
subject 10 a few OF these points.
In the past the principal objection
- nublic utility regulation has arisen
j., certain large cities in the state
which consider themselves more COM
ne-ent to deal with these problems
than any state commission. That may
he verv true. But it would seem
ina, the state would be able TO en-
ploy a higher grade Of experts to in
yestigate the engineering and account
;og facts necessary to intelligent reg
ulation. and to defend the same, than
m. average town in this state. II may
he true that there are few cities IN
Iowa more com petenl to perform THIS
dury than any state state board In
order TO care for his situation, nave
suggested to the committee In the sen
ate the provision of the California
laws which enable city on Its own
initiative 10 take itself out from the
operation OF the law. There can De
no sound objection 10 the law on the
mart OF these cities if that is made
mart Of it, unless the men VINO are
yoicing these objections are AFRAID TO
leave the question 10 a vote OF thelr
own citizens as to whether they oe-
sire 10 b. subject To the regulation
of the state board or their own city
council
above all else should the new Iowa
law. when enacted, carefully preserve
the Independent Of the office OF com
merce counsel VINO is the attorney not
! of the commission nor the utilities. nnt
/ the attorney Of the people. Inat Is
] a phase Of law wherein Iowa is lar
ahead of all other states ana theFe
! should be no backing up en- thta mat
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