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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... One of Oregon's two health insurance co-ops says it will shut down ... Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... One of Oregon's two health insurance co-ops says it will shut down ... Mail Tribune 100, Sept. 19, 1915 The following news item was drawn from the archives of the Mail Tribune 100 years ago. Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 19, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Sep. 19, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Sept. 19, 1915 Editorial: DISCOURTEOUS Is Medford paying too high rates for light and power? The city council thought so, and filed a complaint setting forth this fact with the state public service commission. The commission at once ordered its experts to make a physical valuation of the power company's plant and ordered the company to submit complete inventories showing its property, with schedules of its expenditures. A date was set for the hearing by the commission, but the complaining city had no representative present, and submitted no evidence to substantiate its charges. A telephone message brought the response that no representative of the city would be present. In court, where the complainant fails to appear, judgement by default is entered for the defendant. In this case of the public service commission, however, judgement is based upon the evidence presented, including that of its own experts. The basis of decisions are rates that will yield a fair return upon the investment. In this case the only evidence presented is by the defense. The question must arise in the minds of the commissioners, has the city a just grievance against the power company, and if so, why does it make no effort to substantiate its charges? It is a fair deal to the commission to force the expense of an investigation and a public hearing for the benefit of those who do not care enough about their own case to attend or submit data? Moreover, is it a square deal to the citizens for the relief of whom the investigation is asked? The subject of light and power rates is important to residents of a community in that it directly concerns every household. It has been the fashion to declaim against the rates in existence. Some of the councilmen have been loudest in their clamor — yet the opportunity offered to make good their assertions is passed silently by — which must convince the commission that there is no real grievance or the city would have had the courtesy to have a representative present at the hearing as the council requested to discuss its grievance. When the commission makes its adjudication, the rates will govern henceforth, for they will be as near equitable as possible to fix — giving both the consumer and the producer a square deal. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 19, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501