The Washington times., 1914-06-29
NATIONWIDE MOVE
TOHALTCOMB|N|NG
Of UTILITY FORCES
MAYORS of Larger Cities to
Launch Plan to Look After
Peoples Interests.

A nationwide movement to resist the
combination of municipal utility corpo-
-ations and to demand that hereafter
ates and services for public utilities
hall be based on actual cost of pro-
viding and furnishing such services is
Oeing formed by the mayors Of Phila-
delphia, New York, Chicago. Cleveland,
and Dayton. The District Commission
ers have been invited TO join in the
ovement by attending conference
Of municipal authorities in Philadelphia
this fall.
Rudolph Blankenburg, mayor of Phil
adelphia, has taken the initiative in
the formation of this coalition Of cities
OF the country to oppose corporations
that have for "a generation operated
TO thwart municipal progress and
growth" He says the proposed organ
Ization means that consumers of gas,
water, and electricity, and the pa
irons of street car and other utilities
are to have a friend at court in the
future.
in his letter of invitation to the Dis
trict Commissioners, Mayor Blanken-
burg strikes fearlessly at tine evil the
movement is expected to remedy. Re
.erring to a case to be brought soon
H. the city of Philadelphia before its
new public service commission to draft
d proper schedule Of rates for electric
I'ght and power. Mayor Blankenburg
=ays:
In the course of our investigations
and review of hearings on this sub
1ect we have come to realize the side
Il the people has seldom II ever been
adequately presented before other pub
lic service commissions. while the inter
SITS of the public utility companies are
resented and argued by the best in
'ormed and most able men IN the coun-
~. If the cities do not join for the
nresentation of their cases as the pub
&c utilities companies have, the laws
md precedents established by the com
MISSIONS stand in danger Of being
|.ased by the able arguments OF the
representatives of these corporations. "
Form Bureau Of Research.
To meet this situation, Mayor Blank
enburg is Joined by Mayor Mitchell. OF
Eew York; Mayor Harrison, of Chi
sgo; Mayor Baker, Of Cleveland, and
Mayor Schroyer. OF Dayton. in forming
a bureau of pubic utilities research,
"a hich shall equip itself TO give all
cities the same able assistance now
aNailable to public utility companies
associations
The organization of such a bureau. -
said Mayor Blankenburg, in an inter
view on the subject grew. out Of our
own needs and difficulties in preparing
our case for the hearing on public and
Trivate lighting. TO take place this
autumn. when we hope TO get some re-
lief from the present exorbitant rates
for electricity.
The idea was directly suggested by
the very efficient associations for the
exchange of experience. information
and resources to which the public utili'
ties companies belong We want TO pro
vide an organization for our cities tha
will do for the people all over th'
United States what those associations
are doing for the public utility corpora
IONS.
I'VE believe most heartily in the prin'
c!ple of regulation through public serv
ice commissions, and we want to CO
operate with the commissions D!
r-esenting the citizens side at theil
earrings as effectively as the corpora
ion side has been presented In tn
0ast, so that these commissions viii
not be placed in the rather unfair posi-
rion of having to Judge sltuauoI
here only one side is adequately pre-
sented-
Will Be Purely Non-Partisan.
"A permanent board Of citizens is be
.ng organized to gather and to prepar'
Information for the proper adequat
rresentation of the interests Of the cit!
md consumer before all hearings
which questions OF Idle anu SS-
equation of public utilities are In
volved
I'VE hope and expect that throug!
public service commissions the problem
qow rising in regard to public utilitie
are going to be adjusted to the satisfac
ion of all concerned. The sooner tn
DeopIe's side of the question is ade
guately and fairly represented befor
-hese commissions, the sooner they WI
come TO some final and permanen
standard of decisions"
Makor Blankenburg emphasized IN
Sact that this will be purely non-paI
risap and non-''ism'' organization.
,gil confine itself to a conservative ef
fort toward the fair adjustment or a
pubIic utility rates and service, begin
ming with electricity and reaching oC
o an the other branches OF the publ
,.tilities. Neither will 1t be allied wit
any political party or group Of OH
~ials.
we believe" continued the mayo
that, as the public utility service
matter concerning the people, this oI
eau Of public utilities research shou!
e purely a peoples institution, with n
eading strings OF any kind attached
I II will be at the service OF
-ltizens and mayors and city officia
everywhere. who are taking up tn
question of rate and service reguii