The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-03-31

ra'es committee that sfv members Of
the defunct city affairs committee be
annexed to the parochial and munic.
ipai committee and four members
transferred to the judiciary commit.
tee' Berths will later be found for
'ne other seven members on other
committees.
A public service commission il ere.
ated and the Railroad Commission
Is abolished under the provisions Of
an ordnance introduced by DR.. V. K.
iron OF the Sixteenth ward. The ordi.
nance provides for five commissioners
appointed by the governor with inter.
tapping terms Of ten years. A tax is
leVled on all public service corpora.
lions to defray the expenses of the
commission. The ordinance reads:
"A commission is hereby created to
De known and designated as the pub.
tic service commission of Louisiana.
IL snail be composed Of five members
10 De appointed by the governor land
10 be removable by him for cause)
with overlapping terms of two, four,
six, eight and ten years. The terms
OF the first commissioners shall ex.
pire as follows:
One on August IA, 1922, one on
August 1, 1924; one on August /,
1926; one on August 1, 1928, and one
on August l, 1880, and thereafter as
the term of one of the commissioners
snail expire the governor shall ap-
point his successor for a full term
OF ten years. In case of a vacancy
caused by death, resignation, re.
Moval, or otherwise, the governor
snail appoint his successor for the un.
expired term only.
Jurisdiction to Be Wide.
Said commission shall have juris.
dlction over all privately owned rail.
roads, water craft, express companies,
telegraph and telephone companies,
sleeping car companies, interurban
railroads, pipe lines, street railway
companies, gas and electric light,
power, and heating companies, water
companies and all other enterprises
which may hereafter be classed as
public utilities by legislative enact
ment.
"Said commission shall have au.
thority to levy tax on the gross re.
ceipts of all corporations or business
enterprises under its jurisdiction in
amount sufficient to meet all salaries
and reasonable expenses of the com.
mission. The salaries of said com.
missioners shall not be less than
$4,000 per annum.
"The General Assembly, at its first
session following the adjournment of
this convention, shall enact such law
or laws as may be necessary to carry
this article into effect, such as pre-.
scribing powers and duties of the com
mission, providing for the necessary
working forces, fixing salaries of com.
missioners, and providing all other
necessary details to enable said com.
mission to function economically and
efficiently.
"The members of the present Rail.
road Commission shall be members
of the new commission at the same
salary they are now drawing until
their present respective terms of Of
flee shall have expired.
"The General Assembly may grant
authority to any city or municipality
to regulate it's local utilities indie
pendently Of said commission.
Public hearing was the order Of the
day in the Constitutional Convention
during last week. With every com
mittee in action, and with many Of the
big issues up for consideration, the in
dications are that the committee hear
ings will attract as much attention as
the work of the convention itself.
Taxation tops the list in public in
terest. The Carver committee, which
has that subject in charge, will hold
daily hearings! Delegations will be
here from New Orleans, Shreveport
and other places in the state to pre-
sent their views. Those hearings are
scheduled to take place in the Senate
chamber.
The judiciary committee has laid
the foundation for its work by formu
lating line of procedure, and will
begin hearings Tuesday, continuing
through the week. The meetings OF
the committee will be held in the fed
eral building.