The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-01-28
yHE nlNLLGHr OrESrloN-

One Of the leading citizens whose name
was used in connection with the proposed
charter Of an opposition gas company here
has publicly declared that this was done
without his authority, thereby throwing
some doubt on the motives of the euierpris-
inl projectors, az we'll as weakening their
application. But it is not necessary TO dis
cuss the merits Of this particular case. The
same objections apply to all. supposing
that the most stringent provisions are in
serted in the act Of Incorporation against
consolidation or selling out the franchise,
what is to prevent the present company from
buying controlling interestin the stock ofanv
new one or, if that is prevented, what lepis-
lation can prevent secret pooling arrange.
ment or agreement not TO compete Com.
petition is hut a clumsy and costly exppdient
at best, where cooperation is possible. There
is constant temptation in the former to re.
duce the quality of the article furnished as
well as its price; and it is not rs easy to
transfer ones custom from one gas company
to another as from one dry-goods shop TO
another Discussion of this topic, which
comes so heavily home to the pockets of all.
only convinces us more firmly that the sole
remedy for present evils is for the
Government to take over the business
of manufacturing aud supplying illumi-
mating gas, and run it for the
common good, or, if desired, as a source of
revenue. Not the least of the evils abol-
ished thereby will be that of such scenes as
described 10y the Detroit lobbyist, Harmon.
in his testimony last week. 1t is said that
there have been thirty unsuccessful attempts
to incorporate gas companies in this District.
We have no hesitation in asserting that in
not a single case did the promoters of the
scheme expect TO go any farther in the busi-
ness of supplying gas than was necessary
to compel the old company to purchase their
charter or stock. In other words these
schemes are all originated by the specu-
lators in charter privileges, who are always
besieging both State and National Legis-
latures for acts of incorporation. The result
would in the end be the same, even if the
projectors of the scheme were insane enough
to actually intend a cut.throat competition
with an old and wealthy company fully sup
piled with all the plant necessary to furnish
gas-light for the city. Time would show
that in a business like this combination
is as profitable as competition is runous,
and in the end the public would be com.
PEELED to pay the cost of the superfuous
plant, besides having the streets torn up for
no other purpose than to enable some specu-
lators TO make haul. That the old COM
pany must fight such blackmailing schemes
at all hazards could lie assumed from the
nature of the case, and that they should
employ attorneys to resist unfavorable legis-
lation is the most natural thing in the
world. Tue SUNDAY HERALD has had much
to say against the excessive price and poor
quality of our gas. But We confess our in
ability to see how the community is to be
helped by Congress lending aid to number
of the most energetic lobbyists in America
to g strike the gas company.