The engineer's activity in public affairs — Public utility commissions and franchise valuations

Americans are, in a mild way, extremists. They start for the goal with such impetuosity and zeal that they often overrun the mark and then have to return to it. This is what is now happening to public opinion with reference to the corporations. No language is strong enough to express the public condemnation of corporate mismanagement, usurpation of power, and larceny of funds which have recently been committed. On the other hand, all public utility corporations are not bad; and the engineer, knowing this, should be among the first to oppose the illogical, unreasonable condemnation of our present commercial system which causes a loss of the confidence on which our business relations are founded, and results in weakening the foundations of our whole economic structure.