South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-02
NEW CONT RACT To
SAVE THE STATE
SeC'y of State Cook Has More
Than Made Good His Prom
Use During Recent Cam
paign.
Br wills 5. Thompson.

INDIANAPOLIS. July =. - Only
the other day attention was directed
10 the saving OF something like So
600 a year in the awarding Of state
contracts by Scc'y of state Homer l.
Cook This represented a reduction
from the figures for the Same sup
plies u 1914, and redeemed the pledge
made by Homer l. Cook when can
didate that he would save his salary
OF $4,000 TO the people each year He
has just awarded a contract for sup
plying badges for automobile drivers
at considerable saving over last
years contract.
In cwarding the coal contract for
the state this week State Auditor Crit
tenbcrger, state Treas. Bitter and
Secy Of State Cook improved the
quality specifications and reduced the
price. In 1914 the mine-run price
was $500 and the lump was $40.
This year the Indianapolis Mortar and
Fuel co. bids 1921 a ton straight on
a combination of mine-run and lump
that viii be superior TO the cOmbin-
alton OF 1914. The contract is for
1900 tons or more in the year and
u usually IS considerably more.
There are different ways Of saving
money 20 the people just as there are
tc spend it, State officials in 1915
have been looking seriously about to
save in awarding Of contracts and
eliminating OF superfluous employ
ment. But in a direct saving to the
individuals at other than taXpaying
times the public service commission
has been constantly busy sine the
commission was first formed This
has been in the adjusting OF public
utility rates throughout the state.
Commissioner Charles = Edwards has
just finished with the Southern Tele-
phone Co. which has headquarters
at Evansville and operates A towns
and cC'1mGnities. The rates had no
fixed standard I'm this territory The
companies proposed taking the high
est rates and elevating others TO this
point in all the communities. This
would add $4,000 r. year TO the reve-
nues. The commissioner could not do
this The subscribers said bring all
10 the lowest rate" That also would
DC unjust. Commissioner Edwards
asked for and was given a list Of all
the subscribers and the rates. In
several ways he struck certain aver
ages and applied these. The result is
10 cut about $1,000 a year from the
company revenues and saving $4,000
from the cOmpany's requests. And
both sides express perfect satisfaction
with having placed the rates on an
equitable basis and cutting out all dis
examinations.
Settlement of the Chicago street car
strike in the stand taken by Mayor
Thompson recalls the serious strike on
Indiana interurbans and on the In
dianapOlis traction lines. Because Of
the uncertain methods OF Mayor Lew
Shank. which finally forced his resig-
ration, the strike assumed an ugly
stage. where both sides were difficult
TO deal with. II was at this point
where Gov. Ralston entered TO stop
the strike. He reached the settlement
by first showing both the companies
and the men that fOOlishness must
cease and cool common sense pre-
vail. Then he offered the services Of
the public service commission as an
arbitration board. thus placing extra
duties upon n court with an already
overlooking schedule. Tt was com
Dliment 20 this body of men that both
sides were willing to trust all dis
putes i'm their hands once month
slice that time three commissioners
hear and decide disputes and thus is
removed possibility of strikes and the
consequent annoyance to patrons OF
The interurban and city lines.
See Charlie Chaplin at Springbrook
park every night this week. Adv