Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-11-16
CONDEMN EXCLUSIVE
CONTROL By State
MUNICIPALITIES SHOULD CON-
TROL THEIR OWN PUBLIC
UTILITIES EXPERT SAYS
MIGHT CORRUPT COMMISSION
Public Itilitics However EXIST 10
Serve the People, Rather Than
TO Control Them.

| ! I'lAbtHl ~ 4H'Ns ~ iN'ln n"''''''''
OF street railways. telephones, cleo
tric and gas plants exclusively by the
state was condemned in a report sub
mltlcd To tho Nineteenth Annual
meeting OF tho National Municipal
League today by tho committee on
franchises The report, submitted by
tho chairman Dr. Dclos r. Wilcox OF
New York city dealt with the reia-
uon Of municipal home rule to the
control of public utilities.
The committee pointed out that
public utilities are primarily urban in
character and that, on general prlucl-
pies. tho control OF public functions
should he localized as much az posi-
bile. in order To secure the interest anG
effective cooperation Of citizens.
Moreover Hs a practical matter the
more powerful the corporations be
come and the more widespread their
services, the moro important It is that
they should hc directly answorable TO
the local communities which they
serve.
"lt may easily be possible said
the report. that an appoinuve state
commission viii fan more or less
completely under the domination of
tbe pnSerfll Interests whicn control
tbe uublic utilities Of the state. and
lima thc very machinery provided for
the regulation of utilities be captured
by the interests prrsumcd to be- regu-
lated by II II ma, be necessary to
array against Tn, powerful financial
interests Of the companics the direct
mass interest OF the local consumers
i'm order to prcserve the vitality Of
rho r,.,ilotnrv function Public util-
inv corpnrotinns exist TO serve the
proulo NOT to control them
..,,....u g., ,....., ,.....o., ,..,.,,l,,io,,
cannot De '''"'r l'b'''' o' vi''I'''o .
"I'"out 'no ".''No go. oP'i '''o' 90
Dot" state ana l"'aI 'u'n"rI'''S' "o
JuI'7"''""" Oh 7'',' P""i'0
COMMISSIONS H""u'u Nv b'",'" wv
an pU'A' ull"'''7' b" 'n"' ul''v WI"
DE mo- I"lIHn' zone "''"'u VIM" '''o
ulili'''S can escape ''EuI'tIo" ".'o-
~'l"''' ""' ''''S wy W '"' "e.' IN
IoIi'"'' /" 'HJ"l nome '"'' ''' ''''''
.ng IT'S chaItei sh"uId nave inc TlBHt
l' 'a''hlI7h separate puI eau "'
p"r'm'ht or COMMISSION I"' 'i'e Sup'i
N'aIoh "I 'u u''lIl'S "pr'".'s WIN"
'n' Guy li'llS, inc c''y J"' lS"'o''""
"h""Id 'N'"" 10 "I""cIS "'''u'lIP
the occupation OF tho SlI'''S' the
quality or service rendered ana 'he
character ot the frahchiSe contract
entered Ul'o l"I Ihe Pu'PoSe UI l"D'l'-
i"'lhE ultimate ul"lH''pal oN''IS"'P,
J ne S'''' J"' l'"' '''" ''''"iu Nv
{" matters I''''hE 10 CON- ''P'l'l"',
STOCK ana houd issues "ccuuHlS anu
puhH'lF- Rates ana 'N'eIsIoilS SH"u'u
Dee Uhd'I InuhI''p"l 'o"''ul Su"J'''
to review by lhr STATE 'ou'i'''SS'o''
! h' 'l'l Sh"ulu aus" nave 'ic l'Sht ~
appear bl lis lo'h experts p'loio 'he
state commission Ih r'Earu TO an mat
tcrs aIt'''lhs I"'' interests
coming To certain l'npor'ail ques
uons IN 'onh''''"n VIII" '"'',',So
contracts p'l"e'h cues anu Puoiio
uuUty companies the 'oii'Ill,''e IooN
the kr'uhu th"t Puo"o u""'S N'''
IN gwen urban community -
natural monopoly ana 'hh' one VI t"e
urst ana tNSehllai lpl'sat'ohs Vi SUI"
a monopoly 10 eNlehu l's ser
To meet an the lesltlihd'e neeus VI
the community N'coiu'lSiS' 'no
municipal authorities ought 10 n"'e
tho rlEht 10 lhl'ale eN'ehs!onS' anu
the reas"h"nleheSs Oh any pai ''Vu'",
extension sh"ulu not oo u''ei ''.'''eu
solely by tho prospective proIt from
It's operation as separate unit, pu'
by its effect upon the prohts OF the
entire system.
Tho committee recommended the
indeterminate franchise with maxi
mum time limit on tho principe OF
tho recent traction settlement iran
chises granted in chicago Clevelanu
and New York city opposition 10
the Wisconsin type OF lndeterminate
permit was based on me rear that II
tends to become perpetual ss II can
be terminated only by purchase-ahu
purchase means payment OF the full
value in cash in a lump sum at the
time of purchase. This, II was SAID
tends to make municlpall2at'on more
difficult as time goes on.
The committee favored the idea OF
making utilities commence to pay Tor
themselves even under private oper-
alton by means OF an amC rtiZatio |