The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-01-13

demand in different sections OF the
state for a public utilities commission.
Such a commission as is well known
would be vested with authority over
telephone companies, gas companies,
electric light companies. water COM
panies, power companies, street car
companies, interurban traction COM
panies and kindred utilities compan-
les, and recommend the creation OF
the same.
The many properties and the vast
amount Of capital that would come
under the jurisdiction of a utilities
commission indicate the ability and
care required in drafting utilities
law absolutely fair to both the public
and those having their money invest
ed in such properties
A utilities law should empower the
commission to make physical valua-
lion and to ascertain the amount IN
vested and the amount necessary to
teep up repairs and pay operating ex-
penses. These things are essential
to be known as basis for arriving
at proper charges for service. 1t Is
important that the law should con-
tain a provision against watered
stock and overbonding and against
abuses in granting franchises, and
it should require a system of uniform
accounting
The People are Alert.
hope the legislature will make
Jealous effort to enact satisfactory
law ON this subject. While the peo-
pie are alert on questions of this char
acter and are demanding proper SER
vice by utilities companies at reason
able rates, they do not wish to work
oppression upon them. They desire
only what is right between man and
man, and to my personal knowledge
there are utilities companies in this
state that share this view with the
people.
The majority of American citizens
are neither rich nor poor. The man of
limited means, therefore, who honors
his country in times Of peace and de-
tends her institutions in times of war
is entitled to have wealth bear its
share Of public expenses. To this end
l hope the legislature will enact an
inheritance tax law.
Corporations are creatures Of the
state. They have no authority to is
sue stocks and bonds or securities in
any form except as the state vests
them with power to issue the same.
There should be a law against the
issuance and sale Of watered secur-
tiles, unless on the face thereof the
amount of per cent. of water therein
is accurately stated.
We should have in this state a
workingman's compensation law.
Whether such a law can be made COM
pulsory under the Indiana constitu-
ton is a question. If law on this
subject is enacted containing a COM
pulsory provision and it otherwise
meets my approval I shall let the SUI
preme court say whether 1t is con-
stitutional.
In my opening campaign speech
last fall, I stated that while | person
ally favored a constitutional conven-
ton, I had no authority to commit
my party to such a movement, but
that without regard to my individual
views, l would. in the event of my
election, make such recommendations
as to the ACCESSIBILITY of calling a
convention as believed fairly repre-
scented the views of the people.
What then are the views Of the peo-
pie on this subject? The Democratic
legislature in 1911 believed that the
present constitution of Indiana did
not meet the requirements of the peo-
pie, and SO holding it prepared for sub
mission to the voters of Indiana a
new constitution.
People Need New Constitution.
The Progressive and the Repuhli-
can parties in their respective plat
forms of 1912 declared in favor Of a
constitutional convention. So unless
the Democratic legislature of 1911
and the Progressive and the Republi-
can parties were all mistaken the
people OF Indiana are in need of and
want new constitution.
Is it strange that they should desire
an up-to-date organic law? Their
present constitution was adopted
more than sixty years ago. Since
then the development of our state has
been marvellous. It's population has
greatly increased and its intellectual
social and material progress have null
tiplied many fold New questions
| have arisen that cannot be solved I'M
der the present instrument and new
conditions make 1t necessary for the
people to assert rights they can not
exercise hereunder.
What is a government for If it is
not to serve the purpose of the peo-
Pile? Thomas Jefferson believed so
strongly that this was the object of
government that he maintained that
constitution should contain a pro-
vision for it's revision every twenty
years. They have been but few, if
any, men in this state who excelled
the late Governor Isaac P. Gray in
ability accurately to interpret public
sentiment. In his message to the leg
islature more than thirty years ago he
strongly advocated the calling OF a
constitutional convention.
have thus briefly stated the facts
that I believe show the people want
a new constitution. and personally.
favor constitutional convention.
Servant Of All the People.
While I was nominated for COVER