The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-04-26

ven, Weiss and Works. They ought
to be ashamed Of themselves.
Governor Is 'Elated."
Governor Eberhart pretends that
he is so elated over his victory" in
the senate that he Is now making
preparations to call q special session
Of the legislature to pass statewide
public utilities commission bill.
In the meantime. the friends Of
municipal ownership are busy laying
their plans to not only oppose the
governors program, but If he should
use undue influence upon members
of the legislature to get them to vote
for a. public utilities commission bill,
they will see that the bill is so strong
ly amended it will thwart the purpose
of the public service corporations in
seeking refuge behind such a meas
ure.
The special interests have only re-
Gently taken up the idea Of a public
utilities commission. Formerly they
sought refuge and protection in the
courts, but they have been subject
severe reverses Of late in the courts,
and now they are using their influence
in state politics to have a new institu-
ton created that will harbor and pro-
tect them from the onslaughts Of the
people.
Where Cities Are Jealous.
No one seriously objects to state
wide public utilities commission that
will have authority over corporations
doing an interurban business, but the
people Of the cities Of Minnesota are
extremely jealous of their rights and
they will most strongly oppose any
attack upon the part of the governor
and the legislature to take from them
the right to have the whole say about
the regulation Of public utilities oper-
ating wholly within the limits Of tho
city.
This is the crucial issue. If the
people of the cities are given more
power over their own affairs than
will become as conspicuous exa mples
Of good administration in the future
as they have been bad in the past.
In some states like Ohio and Mich
igan~ public utility commissions have
become the sheltering place of vested
interests, having the right to deny
franchises and to grant to utilities
that there will be no competition
The rights of the people have been
secondary to the so-called vested in
terests of the utility companies.
Wear People Out.
Applications for new charges have
been permitted to drag until the peo-
pie were worn out. Old companies
have refused to make necessary i'm
provements or increase their service,
because the commission paid too
much heed to their cries against ."con-
flscation.''
There are several motives back of
a utilities commission. One motive
is that through state regulation we
will soon come into state ownership.
The belief being that regulation will
be a failure and nothing short of
ownership will meet the require
ments.
There is another reason why the
utilities commission is favored, and
that: is the owners of utilities hope to
control the commissions. They have
done that in some states. They, NO
doubt, will aim to own the commits
sion in Minnesota If one should be
created. It must be remembered that
a commission appointed by the gov.
ernor will not be subject to recall by
the people.
Governor Barters Votes.
/ In Minneapolis the other night at a
protest meeting held under the aus.
pices of the Voters league, a univer.
sity professor stated to the people
! that member of the house of repre-.
! sentatives from Ottertail county wa.
influenced to vote to sustain Governor
Eberharts veto under promise that h,
would be appointed to a. vacancy OF
the district bench of his home coun
ty in the near future.
| E. E. Smith, Governor Eberhart'
political manager, and the represen
tative Of the public service corpaya
tons in lobbying for legislation, use,
his personal influence in the open t.
defeat the Nolan and Minnette bills
If the members Of the legislator
who now oppose statewide publ
utilities commission, such as is wante
by, Governor Eberhart and his friends
stand pat, they can succeed in ,thwart
ing the purpose of the public servic
corporations Of this state who arr
we verify believe, being driven to tn
last ditch in the struggle OF the pee