Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-07-14
STRIPPED FOR
BIG FIGHT ON
SERVICE BODY
Legislators of Both Houses
Plan Battle for Return of
Franchise Power to Cities.
TWO BILLS INTRODUCED

Centering their efforts on bills calling
for the adjustment Of the Indiana pub
lie service commission and the return OF
franchise powers to the municipalities,
members of the senate and the house to-
day prepared to wage a bitter war
against the service commission.
Two bills are in the hands Of the 5u-
dietary committees of the house and the
senate and there appears to be a grow
Ing feeling that If the committees should
report favorably on the proposed aool-
ishment at the special session, the meas
ure might pass after a bitter fight.
Senator Alfred HogstOn. Marion, in
troduced the bill proposing the abolish
ment Of the public service commits sion,
the recreation Of the state railroad COM
mission and providing for local regulat-
ing Of public utilities by the various city
and county boards and city councils.
In the house, q bill was introduced oy
Representative Harry E. Rowbottom, Ey-
ansvIlle. calling for the adjustment Of
the service commission, but not provid-
ing for any control Of public utilities.
RECENT ACTIVITIES
ARE BLAMED.
Similar bills have been introduced at
ether sessions, but the recent action Oh
the public service commission in raising
E3Ees OF service lot pubElc UTILITIES Ia ,
resulted in q storm of protests.
The introduction of these two bills
is the direct Jesuit Of protests made
by the public to the lawmakers against
actions Of the public service commission
IN raising rates.
It is understood the Goodrich admins
tration would exclude the consideration
Of such bills during the special session,
but the legislators loudly are declaring
they intend to introduce bills Of any
character they desire and state they in
tend to take. the floor and wage a fight
to protect their bills.
"They will not gag me and prevent
me from introducing my bills" yelled
an irate representative when a certain
house committee attempted TO rapidly
pass over bill by recommending it
not be passed.
The two bills providing for the abol-
ishment Of the public service commission
are under consideration by the judiciary
committees of the two houses and sup
pOrters Of them are making an effort
20 obtain q favorable report.
The bill first proposed for the repeal
Of the law establishing the public serv-
fee commission and calls on the gov
ernor to appoint three commissioners to
compose a board to be known as the
railroad commission Of Indiana.
The railroad commission was abolished
by an act approved in 1913 and its
powers and duties were transferred to
the public service commission which was
created at the same time.
PROVISION AGAINST
NO LIMIT PERMITS.
The Hogston bill provides that the in
determinata permits which the public
service commission has issued in lieu Of
franchises or contracts, shall cease to
exist on the passage Of the bill and that
the former contracts and franchises
which were in existence in 1913 should
be in full force and effect. -
The bill also makes it unlawful for
a municipality or a utility TO make dis.
criminatory rates or to provide free serv-
ice except free transportation to police
officers on duty.
The bill provides that standards and
conditions Of service Of public utilities
are to be determined by the common
councils or the town boards and also
prohibits any utility from suspending
service naudfnQ LITIGATION over rates