Arizona republican., 1921-11-10
ENDS LONC DRAWN OUT CONTEST FUR
 STAGE LINE RIGHT

The Union Auto Transportation company was granted a certificate of convenience and necessity to operate a stage line between Phoenix and Globe over the new Superior high way. The decision of the corporation commission was not reached harmo- niously, judging from the sarcasm indulged in by three opinions written by the three commissioners.
 In concurring in part with the opinion and order with David F. Johnson, chairman of the commits sion. Amos A. Belts made is possible for the Union to secure the permit which MT. Betts hold right in view of the fact that the Union company has by purchase and hard labor right superior to that of any other over the highway" This follows the line of reasoning of MT. Johnson who bases his decision on the prior ity" right, which policy is condemned by Loren Vaughn.
 q cannot follow this policy; to place the decisions of this commits sion primarily upon priority will, in my opinion, lead to destruction. It will lead to rundown service, soon put an end to applications seeking to give a modern up-to-date service with reduced rates.
 The new highway opening up more direct service between Phoenix and the mining district made it par ticularly desirable to automobile 1 stage lines to secure the right to operate, and 12 applications were | filed with the commission early last l spring. The hearing was held in | June.
 | The decision in the freight line was also reached yesterday and was not unanimous, except in that all l agreed it should be granted to the l Consolidated Stage company. MT. l Johnson in granting the permit held that the company should be allowed l to operate freight lines between 1 Phoenix and Globe and Miami, but l serving no points intermediate of l Phoenix and Superior, but was over | ruled in this by MT. Betts and Mir. 1 Vaughn, both of whom held that to
 pass over public highway in the
 capacity of a common carrier with
 out giving service to the public" is 8 duplication and a waste and a denial | to serve the public''
 The fight for the franchise over
 the highway was bitter and long
 drawn out. Both sides were repre-
 sented by counsel at the hearing and
 the consenssu of opinion was that | the decision would be with the Union
 or the Consolidated.
 Claiming that the Union had car
 ried passenger for years between
 Phoenix and. Superior, MT. Johnson
 held it had the prior right to an ex- tension.
 ''So far as, the character of the l applicant as public utility influ-
 ences our decisions, we must regard
 the territory served, as between
 Phoenix and the Globe Miami dis
 trict, as occupied territory into which
 competition may be admitted only when it is shown beyond a reasonabl,
 doubt that the existing facilities ars
 inadequate or cannot be made ade- quate or sufficient to meet the re quirements and needs of the public
 to be served" he stated in his opin- ion.
 T am of the opinion that the Con-
 solidated Stage company is the besi
 equipped for handling the business
 and, from the public's point of view
 is the most entitled to the permit fol the reason that it is operating under
 a plan which more nearly fits in witt
 public control of common carriers, i, reads the Vaughn opinion. Briefly : stated the reasons are:
 First: This company is composed of 32 persons operating on the CO operative plan, each member using
 his own car and all sharing alike il the profits and opportunities; Second: Having no high salarieC officers, with little overhead expens es, this company is more able to offe the travelling public a lower fare witt 2 a service as good as the best;
 Third: These 32 co-operativ,
 stages working together are able t,
 handle a big volume of business il
 any emergency, and yet competitive
 ly and independently working for tn
 best possible service to the publi |, whisch would, unquestionably, prov as successful on the Superior high 1 way as 1t has proven between Glob y and Miami;
 Fourth: The great Globe Milan e district is entitled, all other thing If being equal, to recognition and IF share in the profits of this stage bus = ness by it's 32 citizens.
 ,s Tt might as reasonably be sai = that the Consolidated has 'priorit, 'a by virtue of it's operation on the eas n end of the line as to say that tn e Union has priority by reason of il ir operations on the west end Of tn