Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1920-04-01
April /, 1920
TO OUR PATRONS: Continued

When feCOnStTuCIIOI I
arrived. the Companies then realized that they as
well as the public had been mislead by not providing
for depreciation of past earnings as wear, rot,
rust and storms had deprecated the value OF the
property. Added to this was the realzaton thal
plants could not be renewed for low price as the
first ones cost.
Then came again struggle for existance and with
suspicion and transformation quite general with the
public To this unfortunate condition was added
another which menaced the various telephone
companies There larger interests Whlch
entered absorbed and controlled the business III the
larger towns and BY the necessary long distance lines
nearly controlled the business and threatened the eX
tincton of the companies III the smaller towns.
These general conditions continued until the Tegu,
lation of the public utilities OF the state was placed
under the Railroad Commission of Wisconsin by a
law which has been a model for nearly all other
states.
Thus while Wisconsin has always been noted for
its hardy industrious and loyal pioneer, 1t IS also
noted having of, if not the very best capitol
building in the middle But what is more, has
produced the statesmen who created and the ex-
ecutives who have administered the best and fairest
regulations of Public Utilities of any state in the
Union.
1t is through this Commission that standards of
service have been adopted well as general regu-
lations governing relations between different
companies so that while the Telephone service
throughout the state is one complete system, the
companies retain their individual indentties in the
various localities, not threatened with extinction
competition and are better able to look earlessly
forward with broader view to their duties of service
to the Public and we believe, we, of the smaller local
companies now better prepared to and meet
local needs.
Although limited to only fair return OH the value
of the property used and useful III giving the service
either the company the patrons are accorded
fair and impartial hearing upon any subject affecting
rates, service, values, capitalizations, and etc.
+he pai1road Con. ,iecior, &c
distinctly agency OF the people, acting first for the
great of the people, is shown by certain atti-
tudes, for instance let company operate at loss
and it is not necessarily concern of the Commission
but let the service be bad a complaint come from
the customers and the company must make good,
whether they loosng money or not. The Com
mission has shown its view in this respect i'll several
instances where proper rates refused until pro-
visions were made for adequate service Yet on the
other hand the Railroad Commission as we'll as the
Federal authorities require. Telephone companies to
keep their accounts 50 as to show the annual
depreciation or rottlng rustng and tear and
and such, as part of the regular expenses. This
tends to keep proper renewal reserve as security
for the stock holders, other interested investors
who would be the real sufferers case the property
should deprecate without adequate repairs or re-
newals.
Thus it is fact that while the Commission stands
for absolutely square deal to the public; it must
also i'll all fairness grant fair return upon the value
n
vestors become discouraged and telephone systems
would rundown and disappear.
Merchants manufacturers, or mines NAV close up
and quit when business is Improbable, but a public
service must never close suspend, but must con-
tinue until superseded by something better That
is the thought days in the minds of broad public
men. The utilities must expand, grow, develop and
I'LL all proper needs of the people and must be sup
ported by rates that will attract capital to that end
Telephone development and improvements have
been retarded by the and now expansion must 90
ahead with greater speed than before even at greater
cost for material, labor and interest on borrowed
money. But where is the money to come from? Who
will loan money to telephone company where the
rates not sufficient to good rate of interest
property already installed and also on the property
to be installed with borrowed money?
To operate telephone system at loss for the past
two years would be to some most discouraginq
especially when it is known that the Railroad Com
mission cannot make rate retroactive to cover up
past losses, although it stands ready to hear any
eases at all times. Why have DELAYED a hearing?
We must confess that the fault, if any, is with us
especially when remember the assurances we have
received from many of those who will stand the
greatest part of the increase costs Pu+ we will