Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-08-20
EDETH ART URGES ]. J, s u,
P6BI 30 Uni UIll LII I 'IlVq

EBElT !! !! \ ! URGES u
PUBLIC JIMMY Jaw
Continued from page p
conditions generally. . IN addition
thereto, they must be- Of unquesti Toned
integrity, free from local influence or
prejudice ad actuated . only BY the
highest sense Of Justice and equity.
The cost Of such experts and the
necessary mechanical equipme IS
prohibitive to all municipalities In
this state with the exception only Of
Minneapolis, st. Paul and Duluth.
will gladly concede that these large
cities can afford this great expense,
but granting that. why should the
taxpayers Of those cities pay for
three sets of experts and equipment
when one set is not only SUN cient
but can serve all the cities better?
The question is unanswerable. The
very object of regulation Is to secure
the best possible service at the low
est cost to the consumer; and the I :
necessary duplication Of regulating
authorities is not only great eco.
nomic waste but also q needless d.
vision Of responsibility which neces-
sarily must result in a proportionate
inefficient service. 4
4. Using Equipment In Common
Finally, there Is much equipment that
can be used by several utilities ~
common In the construction OF un-
derground conduits and mains through
the streets as many public utilities as
by the nature of the service can op-
crate together should cooperate in
the cost of construction and the use
Of common equipment. There is no
valid reason why three or four diff
ferent sets of telephone or telegraph
poles should disfgure and obstruct
our public highways and the com
munity at large be made to pay for
such unnecessary duplication OF
equipment. Since nearly all of the
public utilities are inter-municipal, 1t
follows that there must be a state
commission vested with full authority
to order such common use of equip
ment after due investigation and to
apportion the pro rata cost thereof
among those benefited.
III. UNIFORMITY.
I. Accountinq.-In order to secure
the highest standard of efficiency and
economy, Il is absolutely essential to
have comparative statistics showing
the operation and experience of the
various utility plants throughout the
state as we'll as other states. There
must, therefore, be established uni
form system of accounting. Such &C.
counting should show in detail the
financial and operating experience of
every plant. Under the present sys-
tenn it is impossible for one plant to
benefit by the experience of the other,
because there is no uniform system OF
computing the cost of operation SO as
to determine net results. Wherever a
uniform system of accounting has
been established and reliable sta
tistical information furnished to the
various plants Of the state, there has
always resulted a general improve
ment from the standpoint Of efficiency
and economy. Today surprisingly few
plants know the exact cost of their
other plant, and the state can render
no greater service to the public at
large, as we'll as to the utilities them
selves, than to establish uniform
system of accounting and a bureau
for general statistical information,
z. inspection and Examinations
Without a uniform system of account
ing, there can be no reliable inspec-
ton or examination. Under state su-
pervision the state through it's experts
will be able to examine and properly
report the financial and operating con-
dition of every public utility and sug-
gest to the various officials in charge
such Improvements in management
and operation as will be found neces-
sary. In making a physical valuation
1t is also important that a uniform
method of determining and expressing
| values should be adopted. This can
be accomplished only through q state
wide accounting and statistical de.
partment. \. ..3
3. Municipal Plants =. Municipal
plants are not operated for private
gain, and their regulation as far az
the state is concerned Is therefore
largely a matter of accounting and
reports. They are therefore inter
ested principally in the accounting
and statistical departments Of the
state commission. These plants, when
properly segregated from political
domination. very readily adopt the
improved methods of other utilitiei
and profit by their experience. The
uniform system of accounting enables
| them at all times to know the exact
cost OF operation which is essential II
the interest Of economy. This is ;oc
casioned sometimes by lack of sex
pert advice and sometimes by political
interference. Oftentimes municipal
plants do not provide sufficient funds
for depreciation, and the complete re-
construction OF plant has to be met
by excessive taxes instead OF grad
ual charge against the consumers
Errors OF this kind are alwaye
checked by the state commission and
corrected. While there has been q
disposition on the part of some mu
inequalities owning public utilities t.
oppose complete state !. regulation
there has been very little objection
raised to the control of such utilities
to the extent of enforcing proper uni
form accounting and the furnishing Of