Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-08-20

st. Paul.-(Special. )-Governor Eb.
,erhart opened his campaign for state.
wide control of public utilities In a
speech before a crowded meeting OF
the st. Paul Office Mems association
Ut the st. Paul hotel. The governor
said. In part: -,...-. .<-... "
Never before in the history OF our
nation have greater problems confront
ed US for solution. Enormous agricul-
tural and mineral resources and UNI
surpassed facilities for transportation,
coupled with a most wonderful genius
for invention, organization, and de-
vslopment, have enabled the Amer.-
can people to produce untold millions
of wealth and to- form the most gigan-
ito commercial and industrial organ
ixation ever known to the civilized
world.
The effective control of these busi-
ness organizations by nation, state,
and municipality has long been the
object of legislative and executive
authority, but not until the last two
decades has such control become gen.
orally effective. This applies special.
ly to public utilities organizations.
Prior to the last two decades the con.
troll of public utilities was attempted
only by the various municipalities.
That such regulation, with very few
exceptions, has been failure is now
quite generally conceded. 1t has been
found utterly impossible to keep the
public utilities out of politics and the
constantly changing municipal authori.
ties, dominated largely by ward poll
iticians, have made their campaigns on
some issues involving such public util-
1ties organizations with the result
generally that the public utilities have
either dominated the administration
or have been made political football
for the benefit of INSCRIPTIONS politt-
clans. Only the favored few have
benefited by such administration and
the vast majority of consumers have
been compelled to pay high and dis
criminatory rates for inadequate and
inferior service.
Perhaps the strongest evidence of
unsuccessful municipal regulation Of
public utilities is the rapid growth OF
municipal ownership. That municipal
ownership of public utilities as COM
pared with municipal regulation has
been generally successful will not be
questioned. Municipal ownership OF
public utilities when properly direct
ed, has been blessing to many mu-
inequalities OF this state, and in most
instances has proven itself infinitely
superior to the former local regula-
ton.
AS general rule 1t can be safely
stated that the state or the municipal
ity should not engage in any business
enterprise which can be conducted as
efficiently and economically for the
benefit of all concerned by the pri-
vate individual or association. But
human nature Is always more or less
selfish, and in the case OF public utili-
ties, which by their very nature often
constitute monopolies of public neces-
sites, these must not under any cir
cumstances be left a prey to selfish
and INSCRIPTIONS private enterprise.
It Is therefore essential in order to
properly protect the interests of the
public that these utilities should be
either operated or regulated by pub.
lie authority.
Within the state the regulating au-
thority must be exercised by the state
or municipality or both. During re.
cent years the tendency has been to.
ward state regulation and there is
scarcely state in the nation which
has not either adopted state regula
ton in sonie form or made prepare
lions therefor. While the superiority
Of state regulation is quite generally
conceded, there are still many who dc
not understand it's principles, and
shall brief1" discuss the question OF
state control from the standpoints of:
I. EFFICIENCY,
. II. ECONOMY, and
III. UNIFORMITY.
!. EFFICIENCY.
J I. Jurist ction.-1n order that the
regulation Ut public utility shall be
effective, IL is absolutely essentia
that such Utility In all its constituent
elements shall be located within anG
under the Jurisdiction Of the regulat
ing power. The question in nearly
every case Is what shall constitute
good service at fair and reasonable
rate. In the determination thereof
the regulating authority must be abb
to make full and complete physica
valuation of all properties belonging t
such utility and prevent the issuing G
watered stocks and bonds on which t
base fictitious returns and dividend!
The municipality cannot control tn
issue of stocks and bonds. This is
right granted by the state and mus
be regulated by it. But in order t
determine the merits of a stock Q
bond issue and properly regulate i
the regulating authority must hav
full and complete jurisdiction of a
property involved for the purpose {
valuation and be able to enforce it
DEGREES. Very few, if any, Of the util
ties are entirely within and subject
the jurisdiction of any one municipal
1ty. They are either inter-municipt
or have their sources of supply an