Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-07-14

from a company in which Goodrich was
a stakeholder, at a purchase price that
was S165, 600 more than the president of
the company said the plant was worth.
Nor mas the public forgotten that Good
rich's son, Pierre, and his business as
sociates were financially interested In
one coal company that had the benefit
of convict labor after it gave Goodrich
a block Of its stock "for services"
Consideration Of whether or not the
purchase Of coal mine would be good
thing for the state of Indiana. is some
what warped by the fact that the Good
richs have been interested in coal deals
with the state and Marion county, and
in none Of them does the Goodrich purse
appear to have suffered.
Goodrich himself is very strong" for
this coal mine proposition.
That in itself creates suspicion, and
there viii be opposition to the pur-
chase until such time as it is definitely
determined that neither Goodrich him
self or any Of his friends or associates
plan to profit by the purchase.
The plan to abolish the public serv-
ice commission is the result of statewide
opposition created by the failure OF the
commission as a whole to do anything
as a whole In doing many things for the
corporations.
legislators have to face their home
folk once in a while and the home folk
are very tired Of paying increased util-
ity rates for increasingly poor service
which the public service commission does
nothing to improve.
The commission has increased the rates
of every one Of the five utilities IN which
Goodrich owns an interest and not one
Of them is today paying taxes on sum
as great as the sum accepted by the uul-
ity commission as the valuation for rate
making purposes.
UTILITY VALUATION
TAXES WAY BELOW.
In dealing with the Indianapolis utili-
ties, the commission has fixed the rate
making valuation OF the street car com
pany two million dollars less than its
appraisal for taxing purposes. and In
several years dealing with the company
has done nothing that improved the serv-
ice in Indianapolis to a point where the
public could appreciate it.
In dealing with the telephone situation
in Indianapolis, the commission has even
failed to bring about a unification Of the
two different type plants now operated
for the same company in the same city.
These failures are only samples Of what
it has done throughout the whole state
and it is not remarkable that the general
sentiment in Indiana is that a board
which has been OF so little service TO the
public should be abolished.
However, all the utilities will unite in
an effort to save the public service com
mission and II this revolt succeeds Il
will be due 10 the inability Of the util-
tiles to placate the members OF the
legislature by means they well know
rather than to any sentiment in favor
of the continuation Of the commission.
Evidence continues to accumulate TO
show that eventually Goodrich will have
his way in the legislature, even though
It may take more time and effort than
was anticipated.
There is no longer any doubt that
Goodrich is the biggest man in his party
in Indiana and there seems TO be no
question that the legislators Will event
ualy take their orders from him, put
his program through and go home with
his paternal blessings.