New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-04
MR.. CIRCUITS SURRENDER.

Criticisms upon Controller CIRCUITS unstab bic
political character have hitherto generally been
accompanied by the acknowledgment that he
was a jealous guardian Of the money of the
taxpayers. but either he was laying q part
when. in the guise of a refOrmer, he held up
lighting bills amounting TO over S6,000OOO or
else he is betraying the people when, as the rep
resentative Of McCarrenism in the municipal adj
ministratioD, be allows those same bills to the
companies for which McCarren is the notorious
lobbyist. Nothing has occurred in the lighting
situation, so far as is known which excuses Mr.
CIRCUITS change Of face. II there is any good
reason for il. Mr.. Grout should instantly make
a frank statement of the facts. TO save his own
reputation, for far his defence taking the
form of a Misrepresentation of Colonel Monroe
Mayor Lows lighting Commissioner only serves
10 convey the impression OF shutting and con-
scious guilt.
When Commissioner Monroe was in contro-
-ersy with the lighting companies Mr.. Grout
strongly urged him 10 consent to no unsatis
factory contract, and took high ground against
paying eIorbitant bills. Concerning the gas
supply he said: "The company is a common
carrier, and must furnish the light You offer
them what you think is fair price for the
Light. and IT they do not accept it, let them
go to court and sue the city" Even as late
ss November. 1903, after he had gone over TO
When fair price for an article cannot he
reached or even indicated by actual competition
the sum TIE city is 70 pay should be settled after
investigation into the coats of pro6uction ana
delivery Of the commodity supplied.
The companies have gone on furnishing the
light as common carriers, but they have by
no means been willing to sue and open the
door 70 an investigation as TO the fair price Of
their product Instead they have won over Mr.
Grout. Without this investigation the city Off
Gals have made an agreement to paw in full
the very bills which Mr.. Grout pronounced 50
outrageous when he was a reformer. and Mr..
Grout now says: Il think Commissioner Oak
ley has done extremely WELL He takes ref
uge in the pretence of important concessions
made by the companies. but those concessions
are trifing compared with what he himself de-
mapded until he came under the spell of Nc
CaIren. The old bills are to be paid in full
and the only concession" is the failure OF the
companies 10 extort interest on their excessive
charges for the time they were in DISPUTE. On
new contracts a decrease Of per cent is mr.
ranged. but Mr. Grout when a reformer had
demanded decrease Of 40 per cent, and was
ready 10 go TO court rather than take less
Borough President Littleton exposes the dem
sgogy OF the resolution of the Board of Esti
mate for a municipal lighting plant, PASSED AS
SOP to an aroused public sentiment The Low
administration, while holding up the compa-
MES, sought the power 10 establish such a miami
that IL might have a club with which TO secure
fair rates. Its bin was defeated in the Iegis-
lature by the Vaccinations Of McCarren Now
Mr.. AcCarren's ally, air. Gront after surren
dering TO the companies, proposes municipaI
lighting plant his friend McCarren is at the
old stand 10 prevent the passage of an enabling
act after the talk Of one has served TO cover
LII. CIRCUITS betrayal OF the taxpayers md
even IT McCarren failed fhe law would he
case Of locking the barn after the horse vvas