The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1914-05-21

so many favorable concentrations
The statement of President Vincent
that there is not university in Ameri.
ca which can boast of more efficient
board of regents, is commentator
that prize very highly.
I strongly favor civil service, and
while only the dairy and food depart.
ment was under civil service regula.
| lions when I became govGrnsT, there
are now several departments success
fully operating under this rule. Ap.
pointments and promotions should be
based on merit only, and I am willing
to submit my case to the people upon
the record made.
Among my appointees are a few
newspaper men. For this 1 have no
apology to offer. In the first place the
proportion which have recognized ID
not larger than that of any other pro.
fession. In the second place, the fact
that they are newspaper men does not
detract from, but rather adds to their
qualifications for public service. In
the third place, the country news
porous community, do not always re-
ceive such general support of the COM
munity as they are entitled to. Any
encouragement therefore given them
in the way of an appointment for
which they are qualified, and which
will enable them to better serve the
community should not be begrudged
OF nat-
itors in the large cities.
Representatives of the newspaper
profession are to be found in all de-
partments of the state government,
and it is my experience that they have
uniformly made good. The charge
that they cannot accept positions of
trust and emolument without becOm.
ing prejudiced and biased is SANDER
upon the entire profession, and one
that should meet with the just and
proper resentment of all who enter.
tain a proper conception Of the dig.
nifty and Importance of the newspaper
profession.
Regulation of Public Service Corpora
tions.
That public service corporations
should be regulated so as to secure
reasonable rates and adequate service
for all is conceded. Nearly all the
states of the Union have adopted
regulation by the state instead of by
the local communities. Senator LaFol-
lettc. of Wisconsin, Justice Hughes, of
New York, and President Wilson, Of
New Jersey, succeeded while govern.
ors in securing for their respective
states such law as I am trying to Sc
cure for Minnesota. If all these states
that have adopted state regulation
were in error, and if Senator LaFol-
lette, Justice Hughes and President
Wilson were the tools of public service
corporations in securing the enactment
of these laws for their respective
states, l am willing to concede that
state regulation is wrong. With them
contend that state regulation is the
only kind of regulation which has been
found successful.
In the first place, very few, if any,
Of the public utilities are within the
jurisdiction of any municipality; in
the second place, there must be an
effective control of securities, for if
stocks and bonds can be inflated by
public service corporations without
hindrance, it is impossible to deter
mine what constitutes fair return
for the basis of rate making; and in
the third place, state regulation will
prevent duplication of expert service
and equipment, which constitutes an
unnecessary burden upon the users
and taxpayers. There are, however,
elements of local control not incom-
patible with state regulation which
should be recognized and if the friends
of regulation, both local and state, will
endeavor to get together on what con-
stitutes the most effective regulation
in the interest of all, there will be no
difficulty in securing the enactment
of law that will benefit the people.
Municipal ownership is not incon-
sistent with state regulation, and I
will not approve any law which does
not specifically authorize any munich.
pality to purchase, own and operate
any public utility, and when so owned
and Onerated the mnnicina1 itv ehOr1d