The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-03-14
THE UTILITY BURDEN

Public utilities had very prosperous year in
1926 according to the reports filed with that public
service commission which the lower House of the
Legislature asked the Governor to discharge.
The people who pay the bills may wonder why
they as partners should be expected to rise up and
shout this fact.
Two cuts in rates have been made in this city
One of these came with the light merger and rep
resents only very small portion Of what should be
saved from the costly competition between strong
concern which depended on service and weaker
one which depended on politics to keep them at
dead level For years the people paid rates sufficient
to support the political light company and Of course
paid enormous profits to the one efficient company
the price of keeping the other one in existence
So that cut welcome as it is brings no credit to
the public service commission.
The other cut was in gas rates and was made
only after The Times had called attention to the
enormous profits Of the company. At least the COM
mission said that the reduction was due in large
degree to the facts given the public by The Times
But that reduction was exactly what the COM
pany wished to give in order, perhaps, to escape
real investigation of its profits 1t might be called
crumb dropped from heavy laden table.
It now appears that the cut in rates was made
and ordered by the commission before the report
for last year was fled that any examination was per-
functory, that the commission probably acted as a
messenger for the gas company and relayed the de-
sires of that company to the public.
The important fact is that the commission in
making it's order, gave facts on which it was
based. 1t gave the public no intimation as to how
much this company earned. 1t gave no figures as to
profits earnings or expenses.
The commission failed to perform those func-
tons for which it was created 1t did not act
fha oFf ho NOT end
to be judge in case view of its functions
which has lately been adopted
In this case, certainly, the commission gave an
additional for the resolution of the Legsla
ture asking that its members be dismissed and new
men named who would represent public interest.
Now comes the telephone company which shows
that it took million more dollars in profit out of
Indiana last year than it did the year before.
That means, of course, that telephone users paid
that much for service than it cost the company
to render any additional service.
The water company turns in report which in
dicates that it had profit Of Is per cent it's in
vestment, which is fairly good return.
All of these companies exist only through the
of public property and are given monopoly on
the sale of public necessities
All of these companies take their share of every
pay envelope, of the price of every manufactured
product, of every sale in any store large small.
The bigger the burden they put upon the home,
the factory and the store the less chance these
situations have to prosper.
These reports in themselves Justify that de-
mand for the resignation of the public service
mission members.
But of course, they will not be forced to re-
sign. They will stay in office.
For the utilities understand government and the
science of Indiana government. They know the
value of keeping huge lobby to watch the Legis-
lature and show skill in distributing campaign
contributions.
These burdens will continue until the people
show enough interest in their own welfare to really
own their own government and not permit it to be
knocked down to the highest bidder in primaries and
elections.