Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-10-14

is still to be seen in the southeast cor
ner of the Chapel, but as it was desc
Grated by mob in 1858, it is very
doubtful whether the remains of any of
these royal personages are now to be
found where they were once placed.
RUFUS WILLARD, NJ. D.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Correspondence of the Washington Standard
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 1876.
THE GAS F1ENDs.
Washingtonians, who have been so
long plundered by gas fends, are glad
to see that other cities are also loudly
complaining of the extortions of their
respective companies. The press of
Baltimore, New York and Chicago,
counsel the establishment of public gas
works by cities and towns throughout
the country. That is what it will have
to come to at last. In Chicago, the ex-
tortion of the gas companies goes so far
as to demand $4,000 year for sup
plying the street lamps, and, judging
from the indignation this wholesale
plumber has excited, we would not be
surprised if that city were the first to
adopt the proposed remedy, and to
demonstrate to other equally oppressed
cities the practicability of this plan of
relief. The New York Graphic has
started out, in real earnest, in favor of
cheap gas, and of the city being sup
piled by public gas works at cost. The
New York Journal Of Commerce, rather
conservative in its views on all ques-
tons, takes strong grounds against the
gas monopolies; and, referring to the
fight now going on between the gov
eminent of Chicago and the gas COM
panies of that city, comes to the rescue
in this wise: "The only sure refuge
from the extortion of the gas COM
panies, as we have often said, is in the
establishment of public gas works by
cities and towns. Then, gas could be
supplied to consumers at rates cover
ing the bare cost of making; and those
are far below the lowest now charged.
If Chicago will try this, she will settle
the question in the only permanent and
satisfactory way, and set an example
which we hope to see copied every
where" This is the doctrine. and it
it will not be many years before gas
will be thus supplied in every city where
it is now used. Artificial light is a ne
cessity; and there is no reason why it
should not be furnished under the same
regulations as water.
HINT TO AMERICAN RAILROAD COMPANIES.
The English railroads were, some
years ago, compelled by law. and
against their own judgment, to put on
their tracks third-class trains, with
greatly reduced fares for persons of
moderate means. There were fervent
protests and much grumbling; but the
experiment was tried. It resulted
in such increased travel that the profits
of the roads were greatly augmented;
and some of them have been saved from
net loss by the profits of the third class
cheap trains. American roads might
learn lesson from this. The railroad
agents recently in New York City voted
to still further reduce fares both for
Centennial and all other travel, but
they defeated resolution to cut them
down one-quarter. This vote, we judge,
was short-sighted from financial point
of view. Centennial travel is very
large; if fares were still further reduced,
it would be larger yet. The cheap fare
policy is the paying policy. One of
these days the people will get tired OF
paying private companies such high
rates for transportation, and will in
struct the servants (the Government)
to build and manage all public roads,
so that we may then locomote and trans
port produce at cost, as we now send
our letters and postal cards.
JAPAN AHEAD OF US.
Speaking of our postal system re-
minds me- that the Post Office Depart
ment of the Empire of Japan, which
was organized only five years ago, has,
up to last advices, established $500
post offices, and has already gone
ahead of US in one very important par
ticular. Connected with the money
order Offices of that empire are post
Office savings banks. The people are
thus provided with safe repositories for
their surplus earnings, besides being al
lowed moderate rate of interest; while
the Government is provided with funds
for the prosecution Of enterprises bene-