The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-04-19

by local popular demands and privats
capitalize and to excessively overbonded they will
perfectly content submit to state regulation,
long their present method of organization is not
with.
1t is true that Senator La Toilette when governor
Of Wisconsin, and President Wilson. when of
New Jersey. urged and secured the passage of laws
creating public utility commissions 1t must be
membered. however that those states had for years
been subject to extreme corporation rule and the cec
therein were conspicuously boss-rtdden.
statewide public utilities at the time of its
passage in each of these states regarded as q
wholesome progressive measure The difference be-
tween the cities In Wisconsin and New jersey and
cities in Minnesota where the principle of home rule
is generally recognized, is the starting point What
progressive legislation in the two former states
would be backward legislation in Minnesota.
The city governments of the three large cities OF
Minnesota have been made much better within the last
few than they formerly The people in two
of the cities at least pronounced in favor of the
municipal ownership Of public utilities Duluth owns
her own and water plant and in a short time will
probably her electric lighting plant. In Mime
apols the people awaiting the opportunity to gel
control of their public utilities.
Do not the public service corporations the force
of this forward of the cities? And they
not subty attempting to check it? Is the effort
in Minnesota to pass statewide public utilities Law
covering water and electric lighting plants anG
street railway systems operating within the corporate
limits Of the cities, but the part of thu
public service corporations to check destroy nun
cipal ownership?
The Labor World dislikes to question the motive
of Governor Eberhart in vetong the Nolan BILL The
argument he makes to the legislature in defense o.
his veto would be plausible it not for the fac
that he ignored the question of municipal ownership
entirely.
Every person who visited the State Capitol this
winter and who paid attention to the legislation
bearing regulation and control of public service
corporations was given to understand that the Twin
City Rapid Transit company back of the public
utilities bill which failed of passage Friday Last and
it also bitterly opposed to the Nolan bill which
the governor vetoed.
Tive years ago Governor Eberhart vetoed two bill.
affecting this same corporation One of them gave
free rides to policemen and firemen and the other
mitted this corporation carry letter carriers at hall
fare.
The attorney for the Twin City Rapid Transit com
and Governor Eberhart's political manager art
one and the person. Governor Eberhart may no.
have been influenced in his course by his poitica
manager Ed. Smith, attorney for the Twin City Rapit
Transit company, but there is strange connection
this matter at least analysis which warranted
under the circumstances.
The legislature should pass the Nolan bill over tn,
Governors veto His threat to call special sessio,
at some future time is but bluff He dare do so
1t would not only kill him. but it would destroy hi
party forever in Minnesota.
In two the people will have the initiative ant
referendum. The public service corporations are ex
ceedngly anxious to have statewide public utilities
bill passed before that time If they cannot get i
passed now, they will be able to get such bill
beyond the people of this state. They know it. an,
so do the friends Of municipal ownership
The vote to pass the Nolan bill over Governo
Eberharts veto will be watched with interest It will
make and destroy the political of every membe
of the legislature, according to his vote thereon