The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-20
OTHER PROBLEMS ID BE CONSIDERED BESIDE FINANCES
 -ISADORE SHAPIRO Legislator-Ele Makes Pub lie Letter Written to Commissioner Ward URGES VIGILANCE AS TO PUBLIC UTILITIES Says if the People Are Not Careful Seat of Power Will Be Trans
 ferred From Birmingham
 to Montgomery

Isadore Shapiro, who will be one Of Jefferson county's representatives in the legislature, when that body is convened next month, made public on yesterday letter hs had written George B. Ward, president of the city commission, a letter in which the point is made that there are other matters save a depleted municipal treasury in which the commissioners should display Interest
 An interesting statement in the letter is to the effect that while MT. Shapiro pub licly declared sometime ago that he would favor the creation of a public utility com- mission having general supervision over public utility corporations in the state, that now he opposes that proposition, that it Is baneful is desired by public utility corporations themselves and that it means the transferrence from Birmingham to Montgomery of the power to regulate cor porations which do business in Birming ham
 Tho letter to MT. Ward follows:
 MT. Shapiro's Statement
 '.r am apprehensive lest the intense in-
  iningham's depleted finances will subord'- nate, if not totally overwhelm, certain other serious problems, the correction of which is absolutely imperative. While the financial condition is paramount and fun damental, yet please bear in mind that it behooves the city commission and the citizens of Birmingham to be alert con- cerning other matters. Remember that our legislature meets but once in four years. During the past few years several questions have arisen the solution of which 1t was decided must await legisla- tive action The city's depressed finan- cial situation has screened these other problems. Particularly refer to:
 REGULATION OF PUBLIC UTILITIES. There has always been some question as to the exact rights of the city to con- trol public utilities. especially as to rates. When an effort was made by the city com mission to regulate telephone rates, upon objection of the telephone company. it was discovered that neither the city nor the railroad commission had the right to regulate telephone rates. Here we have an unchecked monopoly. Does this not de- mand rectifcaton? Is Birmingham to be forever controlled by an uncontrolled pub lie utility?
 At the next legislative session strong effort will be made to enlarge the powers of the railroad commission so as to con fer upon it plenary Jurisdiction over all public utilities This plenary power will of course embrace the regulation of tele- phones. electricity gas and the rates of other public utilities
 At first, I was inclined toward this move, and so declared publicly, but I am beginning to realize the baneful result of so drastic measure, to comprehend the viciousness of it. and to understand the motive behind it. This proposed pro- jcct has the unqualified approval of pub. lie utility corporations of this state. IT frankness. I am inclined to believe that the movement was initiated and Is now being fostered by these companies. The success of this movement would mean that whatever right is now lodged with the city commission to regulate public utilities would be removed to Montgom- cry. and instead of the public service cor porations of Birmingham being ruled by the people of Birmingham they would be ruled by three men in Montgomery-on of whom resides in Montgomery and the other in Mobile. As the people oi Birmingham willing for the rates charged and the service furnished by the Bir- mingham Railway, Light and Power com pany, the Southern Bell Telephone com pany, the Tidewater company, as well al determined in Montgomery by the rail p,vsatc recall, and whose decisions are not sub 5ect to referendum? Or will they inss that this power, enlarged. remain ia thu city commission, who can be recalled ana whose mistakes are subject to correction through the medium of the referendum?
 T now warn the people of Birmingham that unless vigilance is exercised to the highest degree the whole business of reg. ulating public utilities will be transferred from Birmingham to Montgomery
 ITO prove that this is desired by tht public utility corporations themselves permit me to quote from the code ot principles just adopted by the American Electric Railway association, a pow erful organization including in it's mem. bership more than 400 of the elcctri, railway companies of the United States \ \Principle of that code declares that:
 "Local transportation should be Monopoly, subjected to state rathel than local control
 That this principle is diametricallN opposed to home rule and that it il strongly disfavored bA the live mayor, of progressive cities throughout th United States is conclusively demon strated by the recommendations of tn Conference of American Mayors on Pub lie Policies as to Municipalities, recent. held in Philadelphia. This conference recommended that in large cities, loca regulation is plainly to be preferred.
 "I am strongly opposed to executing bill of sale of the little power we nov possess to rekulate public utilities, |