Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-28

ministration. 1 have striven during the
last three and one-half years. con-
stantly, and l believe conscientiously
and diligently, so to conduct the af-
fairs of my office and so to discharge
the duties of the high office of governor
OF Illinois, that | could go before the
people and the voters of my state at
any time, and lay the record before
them and without apology or hesitancy
ask them to endorse it.
I have worked hard and long and if
mistakes have occurred you will, |
trust, believe me, when l assure you
that they were of the head and not of
the heart. l have tried to keep the
faith. | have tried to serve the people,
honestly, diligently, disinterestedly.
Most of my recommendations to a
republican legislature have become
laws. l strove for big practical re-
suits along righteous and sometimes
radical lines and l have succeeded
largely. But there is yet much to do
in matters pertaining to the admins
tratlOn OF our state government
Let me tell you what we have
achieved along progressive and con-
Structiye lines since Jan. l, 1913.
we found prevailing the antiquated
and discredited system of electing
United States senator's by the legisla-
ture, which has repeatedly led to scan
dalS, eliminating in the exposure of
the jackpot system of bribery and legis-
latiOn in Illinois. The system has been
changed and now the people elect
United States senators by direct vote.
the same as they do the president, the
governor, congressman, and other pub
lie officials
The corrupt lobby which formerly
infested Springfield in legislative ses-
sions has seen its evil power reduced
and its agents driven from the sacred
precincts Of the peoples Legislative
chamber
There are many Iobbies Not all of
them are corrupt Some are infa-
nous. Some are engaged in noble
work
Some lobbyists are exercising the
right Of petition guaranteed to them in
the constitution and the bill of rights
and in the Declaration of Independ-
ence. Others existed in the past to
debauch legislators, and corrupt leg
islatiOn. Under the present admins
tration there has been less bribery,
less logrolling in Springfield than
there ever was before, and the nefa-
riOuS jackpOtting of d few years ago
has been smOthered if not extermi-
mated.
l framed, ceommended and succeed
ed in having the legislature pass the
public utility law which has abolished
forever passes and special fayors to
Legislators and other public officials
and private favOrites of the corpora
tions.
Through the utility commission the
NM ont rrDJ
over the public utilities of the state,
including railroads, telegraphs, tele-
phones, electric lines, gas and water
franchises. etc, etc.
The work of this commission speaks
for itself. 1t is regulating rates and
promoting public safety. Every resi-
dent of the state is deriving benefits
from its activities.
From its inception Jan. /. 1914, to
July l, 1916, it received in fees $897,-
263.54. Its expenditures, including
commissioners salaries, for the same
period, were $638, 636.82. 1t turned in
to the treasury a balance of $685.
G26.72
The commission has docketed 3,447
complaints and applications. About
20 per cent OF these are complaints
filed by persons or corporations, in
which orders have been entered ad-
justiDg the matters complained of to
the satisfaction of practically all of
the parties. There have been but 40
appeals taken from the orders of the
commission to the courts, and of these
the commission has only been reversed
in three instances.
The commission, in settling the
above matters. has issued 1889 orders
1t has handled 1928 informal matters,
which are handled through CORES
pOndence and investigation, and of
these ,432 have been adjusted and set
tied without one cent of expense TO
the parties in the case.
Since the inception of the commits
sion there has been a REIMBURSEMENT or
reduction. by orders of the commits
sion, in eIectrict rates in III cities, and
a reduction in gas rates by the read
iustment of schedules and by orders of
the commission in % cities, with an
approximate saving of 81 GOO, 900 year
to the consumers. The commission
has made a thorough investigation OF
the rates for water in the cities of
Lake Forest, Pekin and Peoria In the
Lake Forest case the question of rates
for water had been in the courts for a
period of Il years, at a cost to both
city and company Of many thousands
of dollars Complaint was filed with
the utilities commission and in prac-
tically a year a valuation had been
made of the property and the matter
disposed of and the rates fixed which
rates are in effect at the present time.
The commission has made thor
ough investigation of the rates for gas
in the cities of Springfield. Belleville
Jacksonville, Quincy, BeardstOwn,
Charleston and many others: and cleo
trio rates in Jacksonville, Belleville,
Quincy and many others, and in your