The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-01-20
LAWYERS CUNNING
FOR STATE BOARD
Propose Bill to "Pull" the
Teeth Of Corporation
Commissioners
WANT POWER IN CITIES
Regulation of All Except In
terurban and Phone Lines
Vested in Municipality

N q bill prepared ana fostcrcd by
thu city Bt.rruov of oklahoma iR
passed hy jhc Legislature, the state
corporation commission viii bo
shuru ot itg power to regulate public
utilities within the corporate limits
Of = municipality Regulation ~
service und of chargcs fur service
viii II the bin mnkos u succCssful
journey through tho hands uf lrRip-
a'ors be vested entirely with city
officials uf the municipality in
which changes IN rates or service
are needed or desired,
ono of tho leaders In urElnR the
passage Of this bin ir city Attor-
ucy Frank T.. Duncan. who returned
Wednesday from oklahoma city
after attending two-duv meeting
of city attorneys from nll sections
Uf the state. Sentiment among those
munlcip-l councillors iH unanimous
I'm favor Of the proposed bin, which
s. now In the hands of Eoilcy Bcll,
representative from Tulsa county.
ESccpts Long Distance.
According to tho terms OF this
bill, regulation of gas companies,
electric light companies, street rail-
way companies, privately owned
water companies, telephone cx-
changes and all other utilities OF
similar nature would be In the hands
Of tho mayor and city commission-
ors. They would not, however, have
Jurisdiction over long distance
service OF telephone companies as
that Is n. service extending outside
city limits.
This proposed bill does not seek
- abolish the corporation com mis-
sion 4 bin for that purpose has
already been prepared II IL tho
contention of Duncan and other city
attorneys who have delved into the
statutes that control OF utilities that
operate wholly within city should
he regulated entirely by the elected
officials OF such municipalities,
without Interference By an outside
governing body which may or may
not he acquainted with conditions
peculiar to the city In which such
regulation is necessary
That the proposed blu Is constitu-
tiOpal and that u dooa not conflict
with the amendment TO the Consti-
tuition creating tho corporation com
mission ~ DunCnns understanding
after "A careful pcruaal of tho con-
stitution. Provision is made there
In that sections iS to 80 OF article
. may be changed or repealed by an
act OF the legislature. These soc.
tions. Duncan points out. are the
n the proposed bill is passed, will
become imperative 80 far os they
put power into. the hands OF the
corporation commission.
state Lines ~.
Tho bill lH In line with punCnn'H
contentious during the hearings of
the Oklahoma Natural Gas company
and the Tulsa street Railway com
pany that regulation OF such COM
panics should rest with the city. lie
is supported in these contentious by
several of the ablcst judicial minds
IN the state who have expressed
favorable opinions OF the proposed
bill.
1T IL the general opinion OF city
attorneys from all sections Of Okla
homa that this proposed hill IL not
only necessary for the hest interests
uf the states citizenship whore there
is "A relation between these interests
and the control Of corporations, hut
that II is, constitutional Duncan
said Wednesday.
Duncan believes there should he y
corporation cummission or public
utilities board to regulate inter.city
or intercounty utilities, as these
could hardly he handled properly
and intelligcntly by cities. But he
would have no Interference with
those utilities that are not of an in
tcrcity or intercounty nature In
the class OF utilities he does not he 70
llcvo subject TO city regulation are
iuterurbans. long distance telephone
lines, electric transmission Vines and
water lines.
lie believes the proposed bill Will
gu through tho house Of Representa-
tivcs without delay, and thNt while
there may be some opposition I'm the
senate that body will eventually con
eur In tho action Of the lower house,
Would Split With County.
Another reform In handling city
affairs upon which Duncan IN work
ing is the severing of relations bo-
tween the city and the county excise
board Under the terms Of the citS
charter the excise board " empow
powered TO parcel out to tho city
Its budget money, which, Duncan
declares. hnndicaps greatly the eN'
petitions handling OF city affairs
At It's option the excise board with
holds city funds unless some specifl,
reason is given for the proposed eN
pcnditurc Of these funds,
In removing this power from th'
county excise board Duncan woul,
place tho authority TO assets
collect and disburso all money b
the budget with the mayor and citl
commissioners There would thet
he only one law to observe, stnt'