National Republican., 1883-05-07
THE GAS FRAUDS.
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[ No reform is achieved by temporary or by
passionate resentment against wrongs.
Patient. and persistent opposition, wisely
directed is indispensable to success All
great monopolies are able, by the power of
combination and of money, to weary their
enemies by tricks of the law and by artful
expedients, until compromises are too often
accepted, which at the outset of the contro-
versy would be secuted as wholly inadequate
for redress and as insulting to intelligence.
The gas corporation has acquired great
wealth by frauds and extortion on its Gus
toners. Almost every consumer knows, by
observation in his own household, that he is
constantly overcharged for the mixture of air,
dirt, naphtha, and other ingredients which,
in contravention of the franchise, are sold to
tho community as gas at an exorbitant price.
If consumers will generally adopt a simple
method of recording for any given time the
number Of burners and the hours Of consump-
ton in their houses, they will thus establish
practical basis OF comparison with the 6ijl5
rendered, and be able to prove to the moral
satisfaction of congress that systematic swim
ding has been practiced. -
few individuals cannot do this work sue
cessfully, because the company will fall back
ON the meter for defense, and the con-
gresham who may want an excuse for his
purchased vote or influence will find IL in the
alleged possibility of mistake between the
instrument on one hand and the personal
record on the other.
But if the practice be general, so that the
consumers can verify the facts by tho record,
the meter sham will fail as defense against
organized fraud. A lew minutes a day, where
the experience is fresh, will furnish the
needed testimony for legislation. A mere
fraction of the time expended in vain COM
plant will arm the consumers with irresistible
strength before congress.
The true remedy for the present oppression
is to strike at the charter of this overgrown
corporation, which has been boldly and con-
stantly violated for many years. Destroy the
privilege of cheating the people, and the
monopolists will soon come to terms, under
new convictions, by which the community
can be protected against barefaced robbery.
A sickly arrangement to lower the price of
gas will end in q triumph for the company.
The managers are now prepared to make that
socalled concession" and they will be too
glad to make 1t if the present movement can
thereby be stopped. They would not lose a
dime of profit by reduction. They would
make money, in truth, by scheme which
would silence popular indignation and give
them immunity for future imposition.
The detectives and their confederates in
burglary and thieving were exposed and in
dicted by concerted action among the citizens
who had been victimized by these guardians
of life and property" 1t is to be hoped they
will be sent where justice will give them q
part of the stern penalties they have long de-
served.
That experience shows the necessity of
organization and of methodical proceeding
against the gas corporation. Mere pavement
talk is as worthless as the mixture sold for
illumination by Mr.. Bailey and his associates.
Let us act and not gapoIe. Let every house
keeper make his daily record as suggested
and then go to congress for relief
REFORM