Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-27
GAS Nd THE POOR
How tho Reduction of Price Would In
crease Consumption.
DR.. GregOry's Talk to the Civic Gem
tcr-CheaPer, Gas Might Mean
bigger Profits.

DR.. John M. Gregory, president of the
Civic Center, in his address to that body
Monday afternoon on Cheap Gas for the
Poorer Classes" said:
1T Is not the wish or intention of the
Civic Center to interfere with the property
rights or true business interests Of any
class OF citizens: but all experience proves
that II Is serious mistake to keep I'M
necessarily the price of any commodity or
service or common need and use beyond the
reach OF large numbers Of those who need
and should enjoy it's benefit. Twenty fam
Ines Will use gas at seventy-tive cents
Where only ten can afford it at $1.5O. And
further, those who consume little gas at
the higher price will, in many cases, burn
twice as much at the lower rate.
IL was affirmed few days ago on the
moor or the Senate that many thousand
families In this city do not now gas.
Let the price be reduced 10 seventy-tiVe
cents ana a large proportion of these
families would at once commence its USE
greatly to the increase of their comfort
and safety; while those who now burn it
spafihsly would speedily Increase their
consumption.
Another important fact claims atten-
tlon The use of gas for fuel both for
cooking and warming introduced in recent
years, has been found so convenient that
gas stoves and ranges are fast becoming
significantly frequent. New and improved
patterns of these stoves are constantly in
vented, and hundreds of dealers are going
into the trade. 1t is certain that, with
gas at scventy-fve cents, their use would
soon be quadrupied Al that price hun
dred families could afford the comfort and
convenience of them where only ten can
now enjoy the healthful luxury. The city
of Glasgow has now ten thousand gas
stoves, which it rents at a small rental to
IT'S poorer citizens. And it is wise munich
pal policy. The warmth and glow will
fntn al f.,nlY
of disease
Double U.e.
With this double use Of gas, who can
doubt that its consumption would soon be
doubled. If the price could be reduced to
the coveted seventy-five cents? If the
stockholders of this most profitable stock
were wiser in their generation, and would
promptly put the price of this public COM
modify to the figures named they would
not only increase their dividends but they
would also put off for years the inevitable
time which Is coming in ell our great cities
When munlclpal gas works must take the
place of those of private corporations.
And now, having shown that we do not
seek to lessen the value of private prop
erty, let us turn to the much grander and
more important question of the welfare
ana uplift of the poorer classes in our
city-to that great multitude whose eleva-
ton. health and happiness deeply concern
US all.
IF the rights of property are sacred the
rights of the people are doubly sacred.
While we are earnestly besought not to
lessen the large dividends of widows and
other small stockholders of the gas COM
pany, we cannot forget that these large
dividends are paid chiefly by other widows
and orphans and by the many who are
too poor to own any shares at all. If we
must choose between opposing interests,
the greater interests of the vastly greater
number must control our choice. But hap
PLY, as already shown, in this case there
is no real opposition. A more just and
liberal policy toward the gas consumers
will. in the long run, increase and make
more safe and permanent the profits of the
gas makers.
We do not forget that among these for
tunate stockholders are found many of the
good citizens who heartily cooperate with
US In the care of the poor and destitute of
our city: SO we may the more hopefully
plead with them to help to introduce
into the thousands of darkened and wretch
ed homes the light and warmth which
cheap gas would carry.
Light and Heat.
Let 1t be remembered that light and
heat are not mere Injuries which the peo-
pie may easily and safely do without, If
they have not the money to pay for them.
They are vital needs of mankind. They
stand prominent in their freer use among
the higher neCesSarieS of all civilized life.
Their presence ministers to both health
and refinement; their absence brutalizes
and degrades
I'm the great movements for municipal
reforms and betterments which are so
widely extending on both continents and
which constitute the brightest signs of
the. times, 1t grows daily more evident to
all intelligent and experienced observers
that the long battle against poverty and
its degradatioDs can never be fully won
without a large change and Improvement
in the social and physical conditions of
the poor. Light must drive out darkness;
warmth must Danish cold. TO save from
sum life and vice, destroy the Slums.
Make life CHEEKY and worth living, and
men Will toll and save to cherish and i'm
prove it. Among the hundred reforms Of