Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1913-05-30
EBERAART FOR
new YORK LAW
Praises Empire States Public
Utilities Act.
MAY DELAY EXTRA SESSION
Many Farmer Members of the Legis.
Iature Opposed to Assembling.
in October.
MAY DELAY EXTRA SESSION
Especial Correspondence

ernOr Eberhart will call next fall for
the consideration of statewide con-
troll of the same, is about all one
hears at the state capitol these days.
The whole thing has the executive
department by the ears and efforts
partments in the building. Governor
Eberhart brought the bug with him
when he returned from New York
and he has already INDUCED in two
interviews on the subject, not to
speak of several conferences looking
to the PRONUNCIATION of line of pub
tcity that will bring the subject state
wide attention. His excellency spent
several days in the East and when
he was not addressing gatherings of
note he was interviewing members
of the New York public service COM
mission and studying the utilities
control law of that state. He says
the New York law is good one and
he believes that it can be adapted to
the needs of Minnesota Wisconsin
has public utilities act, but he is not
80 conversant with its provisions.
While in the East Governor Eberhart
intended to discuss the subject with
Secretary Bryan and President Will
son, but his time was limited and he
did not get to see them. He says
they are for statewide control and
advocated the idea in their respective
states. The session of the legislature
will be convened probably in Octo-
Der, though the call may be postponed
until January of next year. Many of
the farmer members of the two legis-
iative bodies say an October call
would find them in the midst of their
farm work and would inconvenience
them considerably. For this reason
the call may not be until later
\ !. =
1t can hardly be said that the state
is on fire as far as the demand for
public utilities act is concerned. In
fact few of the country papers have
given it any attention whatever, not
to speak of an almost total disregard
On the part of the voters. This fact,
however, has in no wise dampened
the enthusiasm of his excellency in
the matter as he is confident that
when the proper publicity is sent
forth the voters generally will join
with him in a demand for the law.
His veto of two bills covering phases
of the public utilities scheme and his
promise to see the whole question
embodied in one act giving general
state control he thinks makes the
whole thing mandatory and that there
can be no escape from the enact
ment of a public utilities law. When
he returned from New York Governor
Eberhart brought with him many
pamphlets and books on the subject
of state control of utilities and these
will be condensed into a number OF
papers which will be given general
distribution.
J. :. =
State control of public utilities,
which include telephone, water plants,
electric light works and street car
ton of the subject is only a question
of time, but any undue effort at this
date may give the whole thing set
back that may take years to bring
about recovery. There is no getting
away from one thing and that is it
is the public utilities which want the
law not the people. Just now st.
Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth con-
germs are behind it and naturally they
do not want law that will curtail
their activities to any great extent.
They want to get away from the eX-
acting local demands and embar-
RAISING touches on the part of those
In control of the municipalities. AS
10 the latter feature the people are
just as anxious to get away from this
petty grating, but at the same time
they do not want to lose entire con-
troll. Some think that there should
be at least two years good publicity
on the subject, SO that everybody can
become conversant with the subject
Eberhart is determined to call the
Tberhart is determined to call the
extra session and he is just as deter
mined that the proposed law shall
be put through. The best that can
wish him is that it will be a good
law and that he will not be made the
victim of lot of designing interests.
i. i. :.
ST. Paul is selling its bonds, as au-
thorized by the last legislature,
through the medium of its depart
ment stores and the scheme has
proved SO popular that other cities
may adopt the plan. In two days
one Capital City department store,
which purchased $123,00O of St. Paul
securities, disposed of the entire lot
and it could have sold another $780,
600 worth of bonds if it had them.
The selling of bonds over the counters
of the store like any other commodity
RRaeeoFgsyee ElassEE