The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-02-03
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PUBLIC UTILITIES
NAY \ I ] Be ! /: REGULATED /:
Bill Introduced In Senate to Give
People Board Of Appeals in
Rates and Services.
GOVERNOR EBERHART IS FOR IT
Says Voters Must Control But Politics
Often Enter Management Of
Municipal Enterprises.
~ sssssss..I- ~ <s2.5
CALLS FOR A COMMISSION
CALLS FOR A COMMISSION
Three Men to Be Appointed at Salary
Of $4,000 Per Year With Power
to Appraise and Value.
Special to The Rionsor.

Special to The Pioneer. .~..~
st. Paul, Feb. 3.-Designed to
supervise and regulate all public util-
tiles in the state Of Minnesota, q bill
has been introduced In the legislature
by Senator Murray, Of Renville coun,
.ty. which, If enacted into law, will
give the people board Of appeals to
which citizens may 60 with COM
plants against water, gas, electric
light and other general utility COM
panies not giving satisfactory service
or charging excessive rates. The
measure is intended also to aid towns
where municipality owned plants. con-
trolled by politics, have individuals
or factions at disadvantage. -.
In his inaugural message, Governor
Eberhart said: ->3'sG - 49,.
I'm my opinion. public utilities
must be either owned or controlled
by the people. Where control can be
vested in fair, impartial and COM
petent authority, removed as far %
possible from political influence, it liz
far superior to ownershiD. It hAs
been found by experience that It 10
very difficult to keep municipality
owned plants out Of politics. As a
general principle, it is true that the
state or the city should not 60 into
any business which can be transacted
as we'll by individuals. In the case
of public utilities, the selfish greed
of human nature too often takes adj
vantage of the peoples dependence to
demand excessive rates or grant un-
fair discrimination as between locali-
ties and individuals. Even munich
pally owned public utilities are now
realizing the necessity of statewide
regulation and a strong demand for
such regulation comes from producers
and consumers alike throughout the
state. ~
lowing to local conditions and In
fuences, it is impossible for q local
commission to be as successful In the
regulation of these utilities AZ q
statewide commission. The regulat-
ing authority and the regulated are
too closely related and dependent
upon local conditions and it is almost
impossible to be impartial and fail"
J The Murray bill provides not only
for supervising municipality owned
plants, but those conducted by cor
porations as we'll. Citizens may 60 to
the utilities commission and ask for
an investigation of any'rates or serv-
ice given by any plant owned by
or by corporation.
= The general provisions Of the bill
follow: ...a1. -. 30
State public utilities commission to
consist Of three members. to be ap-
pointed by the governor at salary
Of $4,000 year.
II Total expenditures of the board
not to exceed $4,000 per annum.
The commission shall have juris-
diction over property rights. facili-
ties, franchises and service Of Ill
steam railroads, street railway. trac-
ton railway, electric railway, canal,
express, subway, pipeline, gas. elec-
trio light, heat, power, water. oil,
sewer, telephone, telegraph or other
utility in public use.
The commission shall have power
to appraise and value the property
Of any public utility. AZ reasonable.
just individual rates, tolls, charges
or schedules: regulate service, az
rules to secure accuracy Of meters
and appliances for measurements;
compel any public utility to comply
with municipal ordinances; compel
extension Of existing facilities who're
there Is sufficient business to justify
such extension; prevent discrimina-
ton in rates Of one locality against
another; prohibit the issuance Of
stocks, stock certificates. bonds or
other evidences Of indebtedness with
out authority from the board: pro-
hibit q corporation from capitalising
any contract for consolidation. mer-
ger or lease except when authorised: !.
prohibit selling, leasing mortgasiug
or disposing Of property or franchise
rights or merging with any other
public utility without approval Of the
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