New-York tribune., 1921-01-25

condition requires immediate remedy.
Either the Legislature must prescribe
new rates or confer jurisdiction over
the subject on the commission, regard
less OF any statutory rate. If we are
to have Public Service Commission
at all it should have complete jurisdic-
tion over that subject. Likewise, it
should have jurisdiction to regulate
the service and prescribe the standards
OF quality and the like.
1T is Impossible to exaggerate the
Importance and the value to the peo-
pie, If we'll done, of the work Of The
Public Service Commission. That body
should be elevated to the dignity and
the standing Of court and should be
removed from political influence. IF
a commission of five is retained, rec
ommend that the terms be so arranged
as to expire at intervals of three years.
the ultimate term of the commission
ers to be appointed upon the cAplra-
.ion OF the terms of the present in
cumbents to be fifteen years.
"The determinations of the commits
si'n when once made should be OBJ eyed.
There may be some reason for it, but
see no necessity Of an appeal from
the commission to itself, which must
involve some unnecessary expense to
parties and to the state, but. more i'm
portant than that, effective regulation
requires that the orders of the com
mission be obeyed until they are set
aside.
Funds May Be Decreased
Il also invite your consideration of
the question whether the commission
does not undertake too much work of
an administrative character. The GREAT
functions of the commission are Quasi
judicial or legislative. AS l have said
20 you In an carrier message, the COM
mlngling of administrative with leg s.
latlve or Judicial functions impairs the
elhclency with which both are d s.
charged and MAJ a.so lead to abuses.
"A pody suited to discharge important
quasl-judlcial or legislative functions
IS apt to be unsuited to administrations
and attention to one duty is apt to de.
tract from performance of the other.
II think that has been demonstrated
by the constant growth in the expenses
OF the two commissions. An cxamina-
t!on OF the organization under the Pub
lIc Service Commission tor the I'd
District discloses the typical develon-
ment of the bureaucratic system Incl
dent to such comminging of powers.
There appear to be eight divisions. each
with division chief, and apparently
they constitute so many separate de-
partments, each naturally magnifying
its own Importance and with little or
no correlation of effort and service be-
tween them. 1t is inevitable that they
are. overmanned, and think it will be
little short of miraculous if a close in
vestigation does not disclose that in
every one of the divisions there are
employees VINO at some periods have
little or nothing to do. am not pre-
pared to say that the work of any of
the divisions should be curtailed or
dispensed with. I recommend the study
OF that subject. am prepared to
recommend, however, that if continued,
that work be placed under one admins
TRAITOR, who will see that it is properly
correlated and efficiently done. The
commissioners will have all they can
attend to if they properly discharge
their important quasi-judicial or legis-
lative functions. They should not be
burdened with the administration of
such department as now exists under
them. Of course, the appropriation
committees will look carefully into this
subject. Instead Of increasing the ap-
preparations for the department over
$180,0O0, as is requested, have no
doubt that it will be found possible to
effect decreases by more efficient or
ganization. How that should be done,
submit to your consideration.
"NATHAN MILLER"