The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-09-26
GOOD WORK is DONE
BY UTILITIES BODY,
DECLARES MCCARDLE

done a work Of concrete benefit 10 /
the people Of the state and that II II
should be abolished, the action will be
the greatest step backward which has
been taken by the state since its or
ganization. John w McCardle, chair
man of the State Public Utilities com
mission, addressed the regular noon
meeting of the Rotary club Tuesday
The meeting was open and large
number of guests were present, al
though many did not get to hear Mr.
McCardle because of his late arrival.
"If we don't make this fight, who is
going to do it?" asked the speaker
after reviewing some of the details or
the fight which the commission has
taken up against exhorbitant rates
charged the public by commercial or
CARNATIONS whose products or sery-
ices are indispensable to the welfare
OF the general public.
Takes Up Rates.
Mr.. McCardle stated that the COM
mission has taken up a fight for
closer similarity between the freight
rates ON lines in Indiana and Illinois
where a lower classification of rates
did obtain He stated that the COM
mission investigated the reasons for
the special classification in our neigh
Dor state and finally succeeded in lev
cling the rates to a certain extent.
But the fight is not finished" con-
tinued Mr. McCardle, "foF the matter
is going to be brought up again. and
ask you from no selfish point of view,
who will fight the battle of the people
of this state if the commission is
abolished, as it is threatened that it
will be-"
Mr. McCardle stated that the com
mission now has a lawsuit pending
with the Bell Telephone company be-
cause the commission refused to grant
this public utility an increase which
would mean an additional charge upon
the people of the state of 1885 per
day over and above what they now
pay for telephone service.
To Protect Public
Mr.. McCardle said the commission
will make an exhaustive investigation
TO determine just what the increase
should be, if any at all. He stated
that the commission wanted to do what
is right by the utilities and still pro-
tect the public against exhorbitant
rates.
Mr.. McCardle stated that the COM
mission has had less trouble with pub
lie utilities in Wayne county than in
any other county in the state. He
stated that the utilities here are to be
commended in their spirit of service to
the community and read statistics
showing that increases in charges
made by public utilities here were
much lower in proportion to increases
in the cost of materials and supplies
during the war.
Says Credit Due.
There is not one instance in the
state where public utility has made
more than eight percent profit since
the commission has been established
Indiana is the lowest in public utility
rates among SO other states and the
public utilities commission feels that
it should receive some of the credit
for this wholesome condition." said
the speaker.
THE commission has been kicked
for several things it has done. We
were criticized for permitting a rise
in the artificial gas rate but this was
done to prevent its entire consumption
by manufacturing concerns and to con
serve it for cooking purposes in The
homes
I'VE were criticized for allowing
large amounts of capital to be thrown
into public utilities in the state ,bu
the investments have proved to b.
sound and the capital stayed right here
in our own state"
economical BaSlS
Mr. McCardle said the commission
was an economic proposition in tina
the small cities could not afford t.
maintain a board of experts such a
the commission now employs to inves
tigate their utilities. He said the com
mission intended to stay on the job ant
see that the consumers of the service
and commodities furnished by the pub
Tic utilities in our state are given jus
tice, especially in regard to tn
freight and telephone rates which ar
the cause for so much controversy a
the present time.
The car on which Mr.. McCardl
came to Richmond from Indianapoli
was more than an hour late. Presiden
Keller, called upon Congressman F
\. Elliott TO tell the Rotarians wha
Congress has been doing during tn
present administration
Congress needs no defense and
make no apology for it." said Mr.. e
lott in recounting the work of col
gress. He reviewed the chaotic col
dition in which he said the Republica
administration found the government
al affairs, and stated that the preseI
administration had endeavored /
bring order out of chaos as rapidly q
was possible.
Mr.. Elliott stated that congress ha
been criticized by all classes. The L
borers of til @ railroads voice
their displeasure with congress whe
they refused to adopt the Plumb pIa
of railway management, and the tart
bill has caused some displeasure G
the part of certain business men
the country because the rates WEI
not made as high as they thought the
should be.
In reviewing the tariff which IL
congress has Just passed. Mr.. Euio
stated that never before has a tart
been enacted with provisions for
flexible adjustment by the president
the United States The present tar
provides that the president may adiu
the rates as much as so per cent al
way he sees fit The speaker close
with brief explanation of the way
which congress works, stating til
this body is made up of such a lar,
variety Of people from distant loca
ties and its members cannot be expeC
ed to act in unity and with quicBne
on all questions.
Negro Sentenced To Prison