Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1913-08-22
EBERHAR1 URGES
PUBLIC UTILITY Law

right granted by the state and must
be regulated by it. But in order to
determine the merits of stock or
bond issue and properly regulate it,
the regulating authority must have
full and complete jurisdiction of all
property involved for the purpose Of
valuation and be able to enforce its
DEGREES. Very few, If any, of the uttli-
ties are entirely within and subject to
the jurisdiction of any one municipal:
ity. They are either inter-municipal
or have their sources of supply and
power outside the limits of the mu.
nicipality. Gas companies are extend.
ing their mains far beyond the city
limits. Street cars are reaching out
into the adjoining country. Electric
light and power concerns transmit the
currents from power plants located at
some waterfall many miles away.
Telephones, telegraphs, electric anc
steam railroads are all inter-municipal
and cannot possibly, for lack of juris
diction, be regulated by the municipali
ties.
The Consumers Power company o.
St. Paul furnishes light and power tc
dozens of Southern Minnesota cities
and villages. In this case it's most
important and valuable property are
the water power plants at Cannon
Falls and Rapidan. How in the name
of common sense can any city or vii
lage dependent for light and power
upon this utility corporation deter
mine the fairness Of rate by making
a physical valuation of properties and
enforcing rules and regulations out
side the limits of its jurisdiction?
Granting, however, for the sake OF
argument, that this were possible,
how can such city or village determine
the fairness OF rate dependent upon
the rates and service in every other
city or village served by the same
corporation? The same is true as to
Minneapolis, st. Paul, Duluth, and
many other cities In Northern Mime
sofa, to which currents for light and
power are transmitted from power
plants located outside of their juris>
liction. In the enforcement of every
local regulation the municipal officers
cannot proceed beyond their jurisdic-
ton and the suburban and country
residents have absolutely no means of
securing adequate service O. reason:
able rates i the utilities corporation
Is not willing to grant the same. These
are facts of common knowledge which
H,I11 no ho
1atlon of these public utilities is not
municipal problem but a state prob
tenn.
e. Definite Fixing 6 Responsibility.
The efficient regulation of public
utilities require the definite fixing OF
responsibility in the hands of as few
EpersOns as possible. Under the old
system of ward government it has
been found almost impossible to fix
the responsibility Sor Encouragement
of city affairs. Whenever the advo-
Gates of more efficient government
started mOven4ealt for a change from
the ward system TO the city wide COM
mission form, the ward politicians,
certain special faterests and favored
consumers joinsag with them, would
Immediately, uneer the guise of "hobe
| rule" proceed to sdefeat the movement
In spite of such efforts, however, quite
a number of minnesota cities have
adopted the commission form of Eov-
eminent and Tie remaining cities will
unquestionabiy aSio SO in the near Stu
ture. The all important advantage OF
the commissions form OF government
is it's definite Bxing of responsibility
for the operatnm Of each city depart
ment in one person elected at large
and held responsible to the people
through the initiative, referendum and
recall. In the regulation of stkte-
wide utility, which is always a puaAic
necessity and olsen a monopoly, it lis,
therefore, of still greater importance
| that such regulation should be fixed in
the hands of a few commissioners, 80
THAT every department of such regula-
zion may have one commissioner at
tits head, who should be held respoG.
sible to the governor and he to the
people of the staSe directly through
the initiative, referendum and recall
The governor should have authority
to remove such commissioners for
proper cause shown, but upon public
hearing so as to prevent the exercise
of undue influence a,r dictation by
executive authority.
8. Segregation From Political In
fiuence~1t is recognized as primary
principle in the settlement of every
controversy, that the ACTING judges
should be free from bias aud prejudice
and personally disinterested in the
results. Lea up apply this to the con.
froversy between the public utility
Incorporation and the municipal official.
II most cases 5e has been elected up
on an issue Involving the pubic util.
ity i'm question. He has often made
his campaign either for or against
certain contentious of the utility cor
poration, is dependent for his renom1-
nation and reelection upon the set,
tlement Of q controversy in a certain
Wv and IL, therefore. personally in
cd I'm the. controversy 2tnnlNs