South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-11-16
Back From Mayors Conference
at Philadelphia = Will be
Next Step Against Utilities
to Force Down Rates.
MAY NOT BE SATISFIED
WITH COMMISSION WORK
Assert Meeting Decided Sue
cess and Municipal CoOpera-
tion in Fights Before Rate
Making Bodies Will Follow.

Mayor Keller and City Atty. Sec
birt returned Sunday night strength
ened in their belief that South Bend
will win its fight for lower rates from
public utilities after attending the
conference of United States mayors in
Philadelphia.
That many other cities have sue
cessfully solved the problem of secur-
ing lower rates either by presentation
of their cases to public service COM
missions, or. failing in this, BY mu-
nicipal ownership, was brought out
forcibly at the meeting. according to
the mayor.
One of the chief features of the
conference, which was called by
Mayor Blankenberg of Philadelphia,
Mayor Mitchell of New York, Mayor
Harrison of Chicago, Mayor Baker of
Cleveland and Mayor Schreyer of
lens that arise from regulating pub
lie utility rates. This discussion drew
Mayor Keller and City Atty. Seebirt
to the meeting.
A majority of the principal cities in
the United States were represented by
their respective mayors, city attorneys
and representative citizens. Some of
these men were experts in the sub
jects discussed.
Many Others Faced Problem.
According to Mayor Keller it was
found, after hearing several of the
papers, that most of the larger cities
have met with and disposed success
fully of the Identical problems that
are at present facing South Bend and
Elkhart Many instances were cited
where the people had demanded low
er rates from utilities Cor gas and
electricity and had secured them
when their side of the case was pre-
sented to public service commissions
by men of experience along that line.
Il came away from the confer
ence," said the mayor, with the idea
that where regulation through the
public service commission did not
prove satisfactory that city ownership
could be resorted to in order to Sc
cure decisive results. On this subject
the committee on recommendations
reported that no general conclusion
be formulated on the abstract Ques-
, tion of municipal ownership, but
rather that we express our judgment
TO be that municipalities should be
given in all instances the power TO
municipalize, the expedience Of its
exercise being at any time and place
and with regard to any particular
utility matter for local determina-
ton"
Eliminates Politics.
II was jointed out that public own
ership removes the utility corpora
ticn from politics-nOt only removes
the offices and employees but also the
stockholders and their friends
In addition to attending the confer
ence Mayor Keller and Mr.. Seebirt
consulted some of the leading experts
Of the country I'm regard to South
Bends local problems. All were en-
! phatic In their advice that the city
adopt measures to meet representa-
tives of the electric company in the
coming hearing before the Iniana
| public service commission and sug-
! gested several experts of the country
/ who have served other cities success
fully in such capacities.
Ft. Wayne was represented by
! Theodore Thume, Mayor Hosey and
Mgr. Weston, of the municipal plant
/ recently established in F't. Wayne Ft
Wayne secured "A municipal plant by
money raised through their tax levy
1t started out with levy of p =
per cent and it now has the plant free
of Indebtedness, and has reduced the
| maximum rate so per cent. And in
addition to this the city of TT. Wayne
is saving over 100000 annually To
| its taxpayers
Seebirt Gives Impressions
| When asked for a statement, City
| Atty. Seebirt said:
The dominant note IN the debate
was the need for a careful. complete
and able preparation for the presen-
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