Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-12
THE GAS QUESTION.
what CounesImsn Perry Thinks
About the Matter.

About ihe Matter.
To the Union and American:
TIE Board ( Aldermen have turned over
the petition If the Peoples Gas Light Com
pauy TO the new Board. l suppose tbei-
reason for doing so is that they did no: like
to go againss the interest of the old gas
company, for the question is a very plain
one, and easily dec ded. As I understand
it, we are called upon to say whe her the
city is In favor of free trade in gas, or
upheld monopoly that is charging the cit
liens Elmos, double the price for their gas
that the new company propose to sell The
same article for. Ibis jiffsrerc e in price
would cause in the course of time millions
OF dollars OF loss to our people. And this Is
being done in direes opposition tolthe wishes
CT the consumers OF gas in Nashville, for l
understand that over enc thousand of our
best citizens have already signed an agree
ment with the new Company TO take gas
from hem AZ the reduced rate. And by
he c'ion of the Boards of Aldermen and
Councilman, arc today prevented from
buying their gas at the lower rate from the
lew company, and are forced to do without
it, or pay to the old monopoly almost
double what it isworth. 1t is time these facts
were clicked square, in The face, aud the in-
terests 81 the citizens attended to, and
those of the old monopoly lest sight Of.
Nashville has become q city ard Is no
longer To be controlled By few rich men to
the damage Of all others Tbs interest
Of the people must not be
sacrificed to uphold monopoly
to the detriment and loss of the entire city.
Ii free trade is put down in this way, what
have We as business men to hope fol? Sup
pose some rich company comes forward and
offers to purchase The exclusive right of
manufacture for any article of necessity in
your city, say FOR instance -four, would you
for an instant hesitate what course to r
sue? Would you rot at orCe refuse to
grant any such monopoly ard demand free
trade fer sll? Then why hesitate in regard
to such an article as ga? Can you do
without light any better than you can with
out bread? Is there a.y reason why gas
should bs monopolized while all other ar5i-
ces must be free? There is none in the
world. The only opposition there is against
tits that whic is brought against il By the
rich stockholders of the old company. e I'd
it not been for this, the new company would
to-day be furnishing all who wished it, gas
at abort one-balf you are now paying
for it.
Gent men, hope the members of this
Board will meet the question to-day with
out any dying, and come out fairly and
tqusrely and sa on which aide they stand,
let it be free trade or N noPolies. Depend
upon it, this thing will not be allowed to
di cur, the new Company means business
and intends to keep the su ject before the
p ople until ii gets is rights, and you had
letter place yourselves upon the side of
the right az once rather than wait until it is
f reed upon you By the people who will al
ways re found on the side Of free trade, and
against monopolies Of all and every XII d
The qIrs-iOn is about narrowed down to
this: Are you for the people, and the peo-
ps's interest, or are YOU for the stockhold-
RS Of tbs old Gas Company?
WIN II. PERRY.