Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-01-02
OREGON RAILROAD
Commission BEST
Is One Of Most Economically
Managed Departments in
the United States

In proportion to the amount of work
performed, the scope of jurisdiction and
the number of persons employed, the
Oregon railroad commission-which is
practically public utilities commits
sion-is the most economically and eff
ciently conducted Of any similar board
or commission in tae United States, ac-
cording TO comparative statement that
has been compiled by the Oregon COM
mission. Not only that, but the salar-
les of the commissioners, the secretary
and the heads of the different depart
ments are much lower on comparative
scale than those in effect in other
states where the conditions are any
ways near equal.
The total appropriation for the sup
port and maintenance of the Oregon
commission for the twO-year periods, in
cluding salaries of officers and all emf
ployes, is but $l05,o00, and there are
out q Of the As states in the Union
having railroad or public utility com
missions which eXpend a lesser amount
I of money for their support, and many
of these are merely makeshift commits
sons with little or no regulative au'
thority as compared to that with which
the Oregon commission is clothed, and
many Of these commissions for which a
lesser amount of maintenance appro
priations are made pay the larger pro
portion Of their maintenance expenses
from fees collected, etc, while the ap
preparations of others do not include
officers salaries
On the other hand, in IA Of the q
states which make lesser maintenance
for their railroad commission the trans
poTtation of the commissioners and EN-
ployes Of the commission is either pai(
for by the railroad or they travel OF
passes while the Oregon commissioner
and employees of the department hav,
to pay transportation expenses out o
IL Of the states having railroad or pub
II Of the states having railroad or ub
lie utilities commissions the secretare
receive a much greater salary than tina
Of the secretary of the Oregon con
mission, which is $1,000 per year, Will
in the majority Of cases the secretary
salaries range from $4,000 to as high a
$5000 In Washington the secretary
salary is $4,000, and in California it ]
$4,000, while the duties and powers o
neither commission takes in as broad
scope as does that Of the Oregon CON
mission, and the California commission
4 ers receive $4,000 each per year, Will
the Washington commissioners receiy
$4,000, as compared to $4,000 for tn
Oregon commissioners,
There are at present but two state
4 in the United States which are not pre-
vided with railroad or public utilitie
commissions, Delaware and Wyoming
J Utah having recently adopted con
mission act which was vetoed by tn
a governor, and the question Of his reca
on account of this act is now being ag
tated, and Wyoming is making prepal
ations to adopt a railroad commissio
/ act at the coming legislative session
Also tnis statement shows that the m.
iority Of the commissions employ sp,
cial counsel to- represent them in a
of their hearings and deliberation
who receive salaries Of from $4,000 {
= $4,000, whereas one Of the members I
!, the Oregon commission attends to all Q
the legal business of the commission.
+ The information was cUnpled by tn
= railroad commission for the purpose {
; distribution in reply to the great nun
: Der of inquiries that are daily receive
from all sources, and IL is very va
' ' liable compilation from statistici
point Of view fm the purposes of con
parison. Just now copies of the tab
! are being sent out to every railroad an
l public utility commission in the Unite
States, in Hawaii, the province Of o.
tario and the province Of Quebec,
What has become Of the old.fashiol
al Aratr.,, epbnnl Co.. ha,sa NhnN ,,.,