The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1913-08-19
Public Utility Law
Continued from first page)

3. Segregation From. Political In
fluence.-It is recognized as primar,
principle in the settlement of ever,
controversy, that the acting judge
should be free from bias and prelude,
and personally disinterested in tn,
results. Let up apply this to the con
troversy between the public utilit,
corporation and the municipal official
In most cases he has been elected up
on an issue involving the public util
ity in question. He has often made
his campaign either for or agains
certain contentious of the utility cor
poration, is dependent for his renomi
nation and reelection upon the set
tlement Of a controversy in a certain
way, and is, therefore, personally in
terested in the controversy. Should
he be permitted to sit as judge in 6
contest involving his own persona
and political interests? Every sense
of fairness and justice will rebe
against such a conclusion. The ad
judication should be made after thor
ough investigation and report of ex-
perts by a competent commission
which has no personal interest in the
controversy and is wholly independent
OF local conditions, politically or other
wise.
q. Expert Service and Equipment.
Effective regulation involves also the
best possible expert service and
equipment In testing the quality as
well as quantity of light, heat, power,
water, telephone, telegraph, and trans
portation service, in making physical
valuations of such properties, in
checking, examining, and auditing
books, accounts and securities, and in
collating, classifying and Analysing all
facts in connection Herewith, the en-
ployment of skilled experts and valu-
able equipment is absolutely essential
and the average municipality cannot
afford the expense connected there
with. With such expert service and
equipment, as well as the necessary
authority vested in the state, all mu-
inequalities and rural communities
would have at their disposal the
means of solving on a just basis any
problem connected with their public
utilities, no matter how intricate and
difficult.
5. Public Health.-Public health
affords another important phase in the
consideration of efficiency. The test
ing of water in the interest of public
health is in the first instance a NUM-
cipal problem, but where disputes
arise or where the municipalities re-
fuse to act, the state must step in
and enforce the observance of sanitary
laws and regulations. This is func-
In making its tests and Investigations
the experts of the public service COM
mission should be employed so as to
prevent the duplication of state equip
ment. Our supreme court has held
that municipalities are responsible for
caused by neglect to properly guard
public health, and no city should be
permitted to allow unsanitary condi-
tons within it's borders, because the
breeding of disease in one city af-
fects every other community by inter-
communication.
6. Continuity of Service and Civil
Service Promotons.-Lastly efficiency
is dependent largely upon continuity
of service and promotions under the
merit system. The public service
commissioners should be appointed
without regard to political affiliations
and for a sufficient number of years,
so that the term of only one commits
sioner may expire every, or preferably
every other, year. Through this meth
cd majority of the commissioners
will always be experienced in service
and as far as possible made indie
pendent of political changes in the
state administration. All employees
should be under strict civil service
and promoted for merit only. Under
a constantly changing city administra-
ton, the regulating authority is not
sufficiently permanent and the ap-
pointments are too apt to be bar
Edlneu away uuuet lllS SpOuS system.
That this is not the case under state
control is demonstrated by the expe-
rience OF public utilities commissions
in other states, as we'll as by the rec
ord OF orr tax commission, board of
control of state institutions, and other
similar state commissions. A study
of state control, as tested in actual
operation, should convince the most
skeptical that when the state service
is made more permanent, removed
from politics and the appointing chief
executive held subject to the will of
the people under the initiative, refer
endum and recall, the commission will
not develop into political organiza-
ton.
u. ECONOMY.
I. Control of Securities.-One of
the most important features of state
regulation is the complete control af-
forded over the issuing of certificates
This is necessarily state function,
because these securities are issued I'M
der state authority and the nnunicipali