Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1921-01-11
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
REVIEWS 2-YEAR ACHIEVEMENT
SAVES CITIZENS OF STATE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS By
REGULATING RATES CHARGED BY PUBLIC
UTILITY COMPANIES

1.-THE lstent resources Of our state
are uneQualled, our undeveloped
water power exceeds that Of any
other state in the Union. Our irri-
gable acreage will in the future years
support vast populations. 1t is we'll
known that capital is slow to seek
investment in our public utilities,
which constitute the means of de.
veloping and distributing power, for
irrigation and the operation of fac
tories and industries which are soon
to come. BY q single rash blunder
We could drive utility investors FROM
our borders and indefinitely retard
the development of our natural re.
sources. We have sought In the per-
formance. of our duties to take a
brosd and comprehensive view Of our
neld OF operation with forward Wis
ion., says q. v. Kuykendall. chairman
OF the state public service commission
in the annual report Of the commis-
sion submitted to the governor to-
day.
The report shows that no court IN
the stste has ever yet held that. any
rate prescribed by the commission
was too high or unfair from the CON-
missions order, have been taken by
utilities against which the decisions
OF the commission were rendered, and
thirty per cent by communities OF
individuals affected.
Prodteering Justly Charged.
Many manufacturers, packers, oil
and sugar producers and other in
dustries have been Justly charged
with profiteering during and since
the var, according to the report.
These concerns are unregulated and
hayecno HOmmiss.on or authority over
them 10 value, their properties, ex-
anime their revenues and expenses
and limit their profits to reasonable
return upon their investment. They
fix their sale prices at will. The re-
port shows that it is not so with the
public utilities subject to regulation
They alone Of all industries have not
been subject to the charge of profit
Z eering. They must file any proposed
increase with the public service COM
mission thirty days before the effec-
tive date, and must be prepared to
show that their demands are neces-
sary and reasonable.
1T is safe to say that the cheapest
commodities purchased by the people
of the state are those furnished by
the public service concerns, declared
Mr.. Kuykendall. "a slight increase
in rates by the utilities of the state
which would be both possible and
probable in the absence of regula-
ton, might easily cost the public
more in one year than the expense OF
maintaining the commission for ten
years."
Four Paramount Topics.
The report takes up four para.
mount topics which are the railroad
situation, express rates, artificial gas
situation and ferry boats. These
four situations have confronted the
commission throughout the year
keeping them ever in the public eye
During the period of federal con
troll the commission in common witt
other state commissions had little tt
do with railroads. All regulatory
functions had been withdrawn from
the states and vested in the Director
General OF the Railroads. On Marcel
1, 1920, the railroads were returned
to their owners, pursuant to tn,