Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-23
Thursday, January q, 1919.
Wire Rates and the New Autoerae

Thursday, January q, 1919.
Wire Rates and the New Autoeraey
II the country suffered government
ownership of all it's utilities. and
f,oert Sidney Burlescn were the gov
,-.a:cnt-why. that would just about
lease the Texas politician. He is
doing his hes. 10 convince the people
oc :hc country that they want gov
Arnment ownership, and is also doing
his best to put it over whether the
country wants it or not. "Why?" Be-
case he is politician and govern
Dient ownership means patronage.
just now the Burleson activities are
confined chiefly to the exercise OF his
autocratic power as controller Of the
country's wire service. Last July
Congress, while suffering from an
overdose of political dope. empow-
cred the President to take over con-
troll Of all wire service in the country.
The President tossed the burden into
the outstretched hands of the post
master general. For time matters
went on as before and the general
public could see little difference in the
service under government control
ne 60
But after the war was over the
armistice in effect; after the coal
mines had been released from the
hand of Mr.. Garfield; after the food
administration had dropped the sugar
rrctcnse and we were getting all the
sugar needed in the homes as we'll
as in the pop beer making establish
ments: after McAdoo was threaten
ing to dump the railroads back upon
the owners if Congress didn't swal-
low the government ownership pill
provided by himself and Mr.. Burleson
after all these things, Mr.. Burleson
set about showing the country a SAM
pie Of Kaiserism.
And there is where we ARE at" at
the present moment.
In other words. Mr.. Burleson,
knowing as little Of wire conditions in
the various states as he knows of the
philosophy Of Confucius; arbitrarily
determines rates for wire service.
tales, which have heretofore been
within the special province of public
service commissions in the various
States-commissions familiar with
conditions and reasons and prospects.
This autocratic domination of
states rights by a political Castro is
promptly and rightly designated,
North and South. East and West, as
an outrage. emphasized with vary
ri; degrees of adjective vehemence.
Right there is the cats nest
states rights as opposed to war au-
ocracy imposed after the war is over.
Protests are filed and Congressional
action demanded by many states.
Protests and appeals to Mr.. Burle-
son by state service commissions
have been ignored. Even the cour-
tesy OF postponement Of his new
tariff is domineeringly denied. He
cannot even consider the contentious
of men who know: he does not wish
to know; he cannot bother with such
small fry as public utility commits
sions.
But the issue is sharply drawn in
several states and nation.wide
legal battle is on-autocratic federal
war power lin peace times) versus
the states. The Boston Transcript
editorially says:
so deeply entrenched are the states in
tnelr long maintained rights of contra,
U v.;,i; commerce and rates lying wholly
nara 10 believe the judicial outcome Of
ne present contest will ever disIodse
mem. rms. however. is a matter which
me courts and not prophecy must do.
t,ermine. One thing. however, is cv.dcn,
NO matter what may become Of IN.
specific legal authority upon which the
several states have long based their To-
ca powers OF control. it cannot be that
either success or a favorable puoiic
opinion 'i VIII long follow machinery Of
alternating so bureau-crauzed and
centralized at Washington. and SO little
equipped with means for taking into
account intra-state rights, needs and
authorities as is the machinery to
which now Mr.. Burleson. or the D;rec-
;or-General for that matter. has oniy
TO touch button to make operative
from Maine to California tariffs suited
or unsuited to local conditions and oper-
ating rules beneficial or runous to local
business. There must be included he
tween the national authority in the
premises and local needs in the prem
ises infinitely more real and effective
means of coordination and adjustment
than any which Postmaster General
Burleson. by his outright defiance of
the Public Utilities Commissions OF the
'everal states. has yet given any ad-
mission to his autocratic rate-making
council"
A summary Of the new toll rates
follows:
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. cALL-when
calling party does not specify a particu-