National Republican., 1883-04-21
Throttle th. NIonopoIr.

II Ia learned, on evidence believed 20 be re.
liable, that The Washington Gaslight com.
pany has in its treasury to-day a cash surplus
of 81, 400 900, ofwhich 100000 is about to be
spportioned among stockholders at tho rate
Of SO per share. IL Is further stated that the
stockholders are to receive as an additional
dividend q gift of 100000, or 50 per share,
making the actual dividend $40 per share, or
so per cent. on $2,OOoOOO capital. A man
with n printing press, and a license to issue
greenbacks without limit, could not make
money much faster or easier than by the pro-
cess hit upon by the gaslight fnanciers.
BY single turn they put 100000 in the
treasury of the company and 100000 in the
pockets Of tho stockholders, leaving n surplus
Iof 100000 in tho treasury, which will be
swollen to nearly $l,2O0,000 by next dividend
day, and so on, doubtless, TO the end Of time.
A round million year is very fair return
on an investment of 100000, which represents
the 1e per cent assessment on the original
capital stock Of 100000 the incorporators
were obliged to put up, or owo up, in the
start. In the open market Of the world men
are offering to pay $50 OOo, 900 fer government
bonds which yield revenue equal to the sum
of money about to be paid in dividends to the
owners of shares of stock in the Washington
Gaslight company.
II Does it not occur to the gas consumers oi
Washington that this thing has gone about fai
enough2 Does IL not occur TO them that the
time is at hand for them to arise in their
might and throttle the monster vampire that
is sucking their very life blood? Is it no
dawning upon thom that they are being
ruthlcssly plundered-that they arc paying
AN enormous annual tax and receiving nt
cquivalont2
The patient submission of the people Il
long continued cxtortion like that they hav,
been called upon to endure under the exact
fng and insolcnt domination of the Washing
ton Gaslight company is the strongest test o
the amazing good nature of the American
public. Patience has long since ceased to b,
b virtue however, and further submission t,
the gas monopoly would be slavishness,
A fow of our citizens arose and rid th
local system of the virulent ulcer, po
lice rottenness. That evil was as nothing
compared to the gaseous cancer that is gnsw
ing at the vitals of our body polite.
Let another citizens committee be formed
10 fight the gas monopoly. 1t is a thick hide,
monster and sheds hard words as n rhinocero
pal javelins apparently refreshed. Neverthe
less the Gaslight company is vulnerable
ind let the outraged citizens attack it on it
weak front. Let the citizens carry their fgh
into tho courts. Scarcely day hasspasset
That the company has not violated its charter
Let its charter then be wrested from it. Thi
IAN never be done by idle street corner tall
lr long range editorial scoring. Determined
hen must organize and carry war into Africa
The Washington Gaslight company is re
Auired under tho provisions of its charter t,
furnish gas of not less than sixteen candl
bower and of a certain grade of purity. 'Pur,
las of a standard illuminating power coult
DO supplied at one-half the price Wash
Ington consumers pay for tho miser
lble sulphureted hydrogen.naptha COMPOUND
That filters through tho clogged pipes lk
hoxious vegetable gas oozng through boilin
louthern swamps, and big profit made oil
L. There is no excuse for the outrage per
Pctrated on this long-sufering communit.
hight after nightly the gas company The mo
%opoly should be strangled into tleast an out
'kard observance of tho forms of decency il
lis treatment of tho people by whose suffer
1ncc 1t exists.