Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1913-01-24
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WANTED-A JACOBSON

There is widespread public demand that the public
abilities of this placed under the control of
state commission and there have already been introduced
ia the legislature several public utility" bills. Now
public utility b not necessarily good because it
Is so named
1t may be drafted in the interest of the utility
stead of in the interest of the patrons should be fair
10 EACH
In fact our suspicion thae these bills needed to be
carefully looked into first aroused from the fact that
We received from st. Paul articles from unknown
source commencing the passage of utilities
The attitude of certain members also whose Affiliations
we'll known is such clearly put his guard lest
we discover late that all that gtters public ut
y measure the pure gold of state control in the n
terest of the public.
Several states have public utility and atho
that Of Wisconsin drafted under the best of auspices
yet has already developed weaknesses which it would
be the height of folly for Minnesota to with her
open. The especial weakness of the Wisconsin law in
its application to long distance telephone companies
prevents compeon reduces the standerd of service to
as low as the companies dare co. and does compel
connection between the lines of different companies in
the interest of the public These defects of TIE law
now being tigated thru the courts but Minnesota knows
what igitaton from her experience with the railroad
the corporations they have been simply copied
into at least two of the proposed Minnesota laws.
Another bill has been introduced by Senator ROckne
in the senate and Representative Minette in the house
which meets the telephone problems well but does not
provide control of other corporations This bill
weak providing for the control of other public
utes-or probably still better arrangement would be
to public utility bills to apply local util
tiles such light and traction companies and the
other apply to long distance telephone companies.
Even cursory examination of the subject will show
the law cannot easily be made to apply to these to two
classes of utilities The long distance company not like
light company. but more like railroad. carry ing
winged words from town town instead of freight
The public will Immediately seize upon the Rockne-
Mnete bin as the which the situation present.
ed in this state. We have leading long distance
companies and Independent and local compane
In some towns the local company connects with of the
long distance companies and in towns the other.
The public being constantly put to inconvenience and
yet these companies the public highways and should
be amendable to the laws which govern other common
carriers The telephone companies the position
which the railroads formerly did and refuse make
necton from one line to the other Right here Morris
if called by at Donnelly cannot talk
from our own Office and if call person at Donney
The is that different long distance companies
meet with the different local exchanges.
Yet either long distance company could easily make
connection with the lines of the local company thus
save the public this inconvenience.
The situation is the that which Jake Jacob
son fought with the railroad companies Hanley Falls
many years ago. The ST. Louis and Great Northern rail-
roads would not put in 'wye" at Haney Falls and as
result shipments had to go by roundabout route and
great inconvenience resulted to the public. Jacobson
fought the thru the United States supreme
and won the decision became of the famous
handed down by that court.
And what Minnesota needs now is some man who
will take up this telephone question with the same tena
city that Jacobson did the railroad fight thru
The public going to be permanently Inconvenience
by whose only for existence the
yenence which they furnish the public and the
the thing is fought out the better.
None of the public utility bills proposed meet this
evil except the Rockne Mnette bill Public opinion should
therefore concentrate this bill the one to be passed
1t provides that telephone companies shall with
each other and that the rule of evidence shall presumpve
in favor of the necessity of such connection the
burden shall be the opposing company to
The bill also provides antimerger features and saves