Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1918-08-01
commissioners
Get SC0LDINGS
When They Raise Rates to Meet
Costs In War Time.

Columbus, Aug. 11.-Before ex
hausting your symathy for those upon
whom war prices have laid onerous
burdens, save modicum of 1t for the
states public utilities commission.
The law creating the commission
gives it supervision over telephones,
water, gas and railroad companies.
The law requires each public serv-
ice corporation to lay before the COM
missioners the details of it's business,
and the states expert in each partic-
ular line investigates to learn if any
mis-statement is made.
The t-rich-quick mergers and
stock-waterers are out of the BUSH
ness, because no service corporation
inay issue stocks or bonds, or mort
gage any property or borrow any
money on its note until the commits
sion has approved the transaction, and
fixed the price at which securities may
be sold and the rate of interest which
they shall bear.
No utility can buy, sell, merge OF
lease without the official o. X. of the
commission; nor until the commission
shall fix the rates to be charged after
the merger.
The state utilities commission, after
its experts have reported on the mat
ter, can force any public service corr
poration to give satisfactory serv-
ice or to extend its service in new
territory.
Troubles, No End.
But the wartime troubles of the
commission come from none of these.
They are from rates for gas and light
and power fixed by city ordinances on
a basis of pre-war costs of delivering
service; rates perhaps ample when
made, but at which it is impossible
for a company now to give satis-
factory service. This brings the pub
Lie service corporations, nearly every
one Of them, to the public utilities
commission appealing to have the
city-council-made rates increased so
that the corporation can escape bank
ruptcy; and they come with figures
to show the necessity for more in
come to meet war wages and prices
for material If fixed for a definite
period, and no appeal was taken,
within go days, the commission can
not grant any relief.
When old ordinances have expired,
the municipalities often refrain from
passing new ones, knowing that the
rates must be raised to meet the war
prices; but content themselves with
waiting until the utility has filed a
schedule asking for an increase, when
the municipal politicians usually ap-
pear to protest against "robbing OF
their people by a soulless corpora
tion," but they seldom produce any
figures to show whether or not an in
crease is warranted.
The Day In Court.
When rates are protested the COM
mission fixes date for a public
hearing, at which it sits as court
while the city solicitor tries both the
corporation and the commissioners
and if rates are raised, the "home-
town paper" usually takes "whack"
at the commission.
The commission has the power
under the law creating it, to abrogate
a rate fixed by a municipal council
If it be found to be unjust to eithe,
consumer or producer, when an ap.
peal has been taken within 60 day:
from the passage Of the ordinance
But advancing rate for gas, or elec
tricity or water, or telephone servic.
in any city brings upon the commits
sioners abuse from the inhabitant.
and users Of the service.
The thousands who have to pay tn,
increased rate don't cuss the legis
lators who made the law; they dom
cuss the Kaiser who made the wa
that doubled the cost of materials
they just cuss the commissioners. 1
reminds one of the old adage tha
the unsuccessful litigant always ha.
one prerogative, that of "cussing tn,
court" However, there are notabl,
exceptions. Some municipalities hav,
business officials who recognize tn,
changed conditions, and who, whe,
they are convinced that increases ar,
necessary. accept the same in goot
grace and without criticism.