South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-01-24
INDIANA'S UTILITY COMMISSION AND
THE LOCAL LIGHTING PROBLEM

With local lighting and power rates readjusted in
eOrdance with the terms laid down by the Indiana
public service cOmmisson-meeting the rates in most
cases municipality owned plants,-one might
that the demand for municipal plant in South
Bend pretty well end
Exactly the city could hope to gain by adopting
further municipal ownership with the public being
served efficiently, and rates lower than Mayor
Keller appears have agreed to accept a compro-
mise. would be difficult for guess.
The utility commission appears to have
asleep the switch when the South Bend Ekhart-
< Michigan along. Evidently it
was very much on the joo. and new credit mark be-
longs to it, in keeping with the splendid record that
has making quite contrary TO expectations from
the beginning it's existence.
Fear has been entertained the very passage of
the utility law that the commission would be utility
controlled if owned. but every before
the people have agreeaby surprised to find them
selves equitably served
In indianapolis in Richmond practically everywhere
from whence have before that body-now
including splendid prospects for South Bend and Elk
hart-the public has and the old-sehoo method
OF heecing the public has been given decided jolt.
Unless utility owned legislature gets hold on
the public utility law, future governor
packs the commission with members the like of which
the governor has packed people
pretty safe and the is answering the purpose for
which it enacted
That purpose is TO reserve the utilities to private
ownership at reasonable return investment. the
public pay the lowest possible commensurate
with service rendered and with that return.
is private ownership under public control other
words as opposed to municipal ownership under par
tisan control, private ownership permitted run
riot
The dangers OF municipal ownership under partisan
control about the only dangers municipal own
ershp that means that many more
wheels in the partisan machine that happens to be in
power. Municipal ownership is seldom desirable where
the public is being served efficiently private own
ership. and at rates which municipal ownership could
scarcely than has served its greatest
purpose in bringing privately owned utilities
driving them of business when they stub
bornly refuse TO come to time. The public service
commission exercises the role OF mediator board of
arbitration whatever may call
OF comparison with more understandable terms and
is serving its purpose well.
In anticipation OF the possibility that some fool leg
isIature eventually wipe this public service law
the statute books, South Bend might do worse
than begin the accumulation OF a fund that will one
day enable il and own utilities but
il should undertake such ownership or operation
until abuse OF the public patronage compels it,
We glad have this proof that state control OF
the utilities in Indiana takes the public good ac-
count brought well home TO us
The legislature Of builded better than it knew
perhaps certainly than ;he public antici-
pated for the passage OF the public utility law
which again SINNERS il down TO the same old cues
don't largely question Of personnel OF the
commission:
For forms Of government let fools
contest,
What eer is best administered is
best"