The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1913-06-24
Governor Starts on
Educational Tour
Speaks at Austin on Public Utilities
Commission As Solution of State
Problems

Last wednesday, In brief talk be-
fore the Southern Minnesota Develop
ment Association at Austin, Gov.
Eberhart started his education of the
state on the public utilities question.
Il am for statewide control of pub
lie utilities" said Governor Eberhart.
There is no better place than Austin
to announce the fact, for here l am
told you have one Of the best munich
pal light and water plants in the state.
81 am for an appointive commission
to handle this great question. Max
ing such commission elective only
means that the whole thing will be
dragged into politics and that is
wrong.
Get experts, and go to the four
ends of the earth if necessary, but get
men who are competent. They say
want to appoint a state utilities COM
mission for political reasons. That is
the farthest from my purpose. Recall
me if | do not make good on this great
question. You have the ballot in your
hands and it is the best recall that I
know of.
Meets Home Rule Argument
"W. A. Nolan, who with the comit-
tee from the house of representatives
visited Madison, Wis, to study the
utility law there, said Minnesota was
not prepared to take up the great
question as it was welded to home
rule. l say that Minnesota was among
the first of the states to take up the
matter of statewide control. We
have the. railroad and warehouse COM
mission, the state highway board and
the game and fish commission.
''These three departments are OPP
posed to the very idea that Mr.. Nolan
advances, yet the state would not
stand for their adjustment today.
There are other state boards SINH
larly constituted and with powers
just as sweeping, but l cannot find
that they interfere with the idea of
home rule which Mr.. Nolan advances.
"This is a great question and want
everybody to study it. I hope to be
able to offer you more in support of
this matter later"
| Governor Eberhart's advocacy of
state wide control of public utilities
vas machine gun like in its delivery.
he shot straight from the shoulder
and gave no room for doubt as to his
! position.
+ Three Opposing Elements
i The executive said that three ele-
yments were opposed to the new idea,
these utilities which fattened on local
control, ward politicians whose politi-
cal existence depended on such con-
troll and that element which could only
see solution of the great question in
municipal ownership.
"The first" declared the governor,
twill be converts before we get
through with this question the second
cannot exist in the light of public opin-
ion, and the third will be out of job.
am not opposed to municipal owner
ship. Austin with it's home-owned
light and water plant is enough to con-
vince any one in this day and date,
but | hold that municipal ownership
will not be necessary if state control
of utilities prevails You will get
rates and service that will more than
compensate you for the change"
Stories to the effect that political
motives were behind the governors
advocacy of state control of public
utilities had evidently reached him
before he arrived in Austin. He said
that he had heard that such motives
had been credited to him but he de-
nounced them as false.
Suggests Recall as Remedy
"You have the recall in your
hands, said the governor. go after
me if / betray your trust. I am op-
posed to an elective commission. That
means | must appoint those who will
compose it. / want experts and if /
am given the appointive power you
will get them. An elective commits
sion means that politics will prevail
in its selection and this you do not
want. Don't take my word for it.
Study the question over half the
states in the Union that have state
control of utilities. They are not agi-
tating a change as far as | can find.
1t has been success and / want to
see Minnesota similarly provided"