The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-29
CITY WILL UNITE
Topeka in Nationwide Alliance
to Curb Utilities.
Consumer Side More Ably
Presented I'm Courts.
KEEP CHECK on CORPORATIONS
Information Valuable to Resi-.
dents of All Cities.
Mayor COfran Receives Letter
Inviting Topeka to Join.
KEEP CHECK on CORPORATIONS

A coalition of the cities OF the coun-
try has been formed to fight the COM
bination Of municipal utility corpora
tons, according to a letter received by
Mayor Cofran today. Leading the
movement are the mayors of Philadel-
phia, Chicago and New York A ma
tion-wide conference of city officials
will be held in Philadelphia in the
autumn TO disclsse the various phases
of public utility problems. Mayor Cof-
ran has been asked to send q repre-
sentative rom Topeka
A bureau of public utilities research
equipped to give to the cities the same
able assistance which the public utili-
ty companies associations give to the
public utility companies will be form
ed. Mayor Mitchell of New York.
Mayor Harrison OF Chicago, Mayor
Baker of Cleveland and Mayor Shroyer
Of Dayton have given the proposed
movement their personal support.
Mayor Blankenburg Of Philadelphia II
most enthusiastic.
Mayors Getting Active.
The mayors are interested in seeing
that rates and service for public utili-
ties shall hereafter be based on the
actual cost of providing and furnish
ing such services and on the actual
value used and useful for such pur-
poses. ami not on the power of q
monopoly to extort what rates 1t will,
"
sents merely the selling power of util-
ity promoters. The organization has
already been started and q conference
called to discuss the vital factors in
these problems.
The following letter was received by
Mayor Cofran today:
THE city of Philadelphia is prepar-
ing to bring, in the early autumn, a
case before our new public service COM
mission, in which that body will be
asked to pass upon proper schedule
of rates for electric light and power.
In the course of our Investigations and
review Of hearings on this subject, We
have come to realize that the side OF
the people has seldom II ever been
adequately presented before other pub
lie service commissions. while the in
terests Of the public utility companies
are presented and argued by the best
informed and most able men in the
country. If the cities do not Join to-
gether for the presentation of their
cases as the public utility companies
have. the laws and presidents estab-
lished by the commissions stand in dam
ger of being biased by the able argu-
ments Of the representatives of these
corporations.
Computations Have Advantage.
THE equipment required for an ade-
quate presentation OF the rights and in
and extent Of technical knowledge and
informatio which it is not practicable
for any one city to obtain. This knowl-
edge and information is much the same
for each city, and its cumulative use
would greatly add to its value. 1t must
be borne in mind that the utility COM
panies constitute themselves an offensive
and defensive alliance. probably strong
er tina ay other interest in this country.
Its weakest member is never without in
formation and assistance of every kind.
ITO meet this situation, it has been
suggested that there should be formed
bureau of public utilities research
which shall equip itself to give to the
cities the same able assistance which
the public utility companies associa-
tons give to the public utilities COM
panies. thus in effect constituting an
offensive alliance among the cities"
At present the bureau is financed by
private individuals in sympathy with