Evening journal., 1919-11-22
Spirit of the
DelnarUia Press
A FIGHT IN COURT NOT
ALWAYS ADVISABLE. |

ALh 10 ADVISABLE
From the Salisbury Wicomico News.
It seems rather unfortunate tina. the
Mayor and Council should have ordered
the City Solicitor to enter a protest
with the Public Service Commission
Of Maryland regarding The new electric
charges for this city without first go
ing into the merits Of the new schedule
with the officials Of The Electric Com
pany. A year or so ago, the Mayor
and Council Instituted proceeding be
fore the Public Service Commission in
an effort TO keep the Salisbury Light,
Heat q Power Company from making
a minimum charge for electric service
here and also asked for a review OF
their schedule rates which involved an
Engineers report on the capitalization
Of the company,and after a desperate
fight before the Public Service Com
mission the company was sustained in
every pOin., and the city got no relief, but
at the same time, it caused the Elec-
trio Company an added expense of sew
eral thousand dollars in protecting
their case before the Commission. At
this hearing, il was definitely proven
that the Salisbury Light, Heat & Power
Company was doing business in Sails
bury practically at a loss and the rates
they nled al that time could have been
made very much higher and sustained
by the Public Service Commission had
the company desired to do so.
Il is the general opinion that this
case will turn out about like the one
fought out some time ago, and that the
only result Of the controversy will be
an added expense to the Electric Com
pany in attorneys fees and expenses
which simply adds 90 the burden Of
the operators, which must eventually
be cared for i'm some way either by
another raise of rates or a more liberal
contract on the part Of the city with
the company when the present city
lighting contract expires. The fact is
no public service company i'm Mary
land is able to get away with any eX-
cessive charges for public service 50
long as She Public Service Commission
is in existence To our minds, IL is
therefore always best before rushing
into a public hearing before the Pub
Tic Service Commission, for the city
fathers TO find out all the circumstances
surrounding the necessity for higher
rates for such public service as cleo
tricity, gas, telephone, water rents, etc.
Every business man knows, as we'll as
every private citizen, that public ser
vice companies are at at a decided dis
advantage in every locality throughout
the United States, laboring as they are
under the existing circumstances. None
Of these companies have advanced their
rates in the same proportion as other
lines Of businenss have advanced. not
withstanding the fact that everything
which enters into the production of all
these public necessities have increased
ih many cases much more than have
the expenses in any other line of busi-
ness. Simply because a corporation is
furnishing public service to a COM
munity is no reason why it should not
receive the same fair treatment as if
private enterprises were being dealt
with, and while the interest Of all
communities should receive the pro-
lection Of the municipal authorities at
all times, there should also be a will
lingness on the part Of public officials
to give the companies a fair hearing
and as fair treatment as other business
enterprises in the same community
receive