kosa: regulation of natural monopolies 209 



the cost would be too great for every state to do the work inde- 

 pendently, or even for the richest of the states to undertake it 

 alone. ^ The best way in which the work can be well done and kept 

 up to date is for all the states to co-operate, and for the federal 

 government to assist and coordinate the work. This is being 

 done to some extent already, altho comparatively few of the states 

 as yet have commissions that are handling public utilities gen- 

 erally, and hence the work is only fairly begun. On the part of 

 the federal government, the Interstate Commerce Commission 

 and the Bureau of Standards are co-operating with the state com-. 

 missions, the latter with regard to standards and engineering 

 questions which fall within its province. Some of these questions 

 may be mentioned briefly. 



Instruments and standards. The instruments and standards 

 employed in the measurement of heat, light, and electrical power, 

 have been the subject of much study and investigation at the 

 Bureau of Standards. The thermometers and pyrometers of 

 various kinds employed in temperature measurements, and calorim- 

 eters of different types for use in measuring the heat of combus- 

 tion of gases and solids, are calibrated and certified by the Bureau 

 and standard' samples of certified calorific value are furnished, so 

 that the testing apparatus of public service commissions, public 

 utility companies, and consulting engineers will agree (or special 

 tests be made if they disagree) and causes for dispute are thereby 

 removed. The methods of testing with such apparatus have been 

 studied by the Bureau, and sources of error in apparatus and 

 methods determined. As manufacturing methods are developed 

 and refinements in works control are introduced, greater accuracy 



■* Extract from Prof. R. T. Ely, in his Outlines of Economics, 1908: "The tasks 

 which ^confront such commissions are stupendous, and the expense of conducting 



their work, when it is properly conducted, is enormous On the whole 



however, it is fortunate that the public have resolved to give this method of 

 reform a thoro trial. It seems to be the next logical step in the evolution of natural 

 monopoly, and does not appear to be attended with any grave danger. If it 

 fails it will at least have trained up a corps of public servants thoroly familiar with 

 the operation of public utility enterprises, and will at the same time have thoroly 

 convinced the people that there is no other alternative but public ownership and 

 operation." This was written five years ago, and much progress has been made 

 since then. 



