The Washington herald., 1907-02-06
MADDEN IS AROUSED
He Declares Citizens Should
Have 15-cent Gas.
NEED BETTER CAR SERVICE
author of Bill in Congress Tells
North Washington Association at
Banquet That Time IL Coming soon
when Corporations Must he Regu-
lated by the Government.

/ Representative Martin 3. Madden. au-
thor OF the 75-ceut gas aud universal
+ transfer bills at "a dinner Of the North
I Washington Citizens Association. i'm the
/ Riggs House last night. scored the man
/ agemeHt of the public service corpora-
I tioHs of Washington. laying special stress
upon the Washington Gaslight Company
/ and the street railways.
/ Addresses were also made by Commis-
/ sioners Mcfarland and West. Postmas-
/ ter 3. +. Barnes, and A. 5. Serven.
There was an air OF expectancy when
Representative Madden arose TO speak.
I and his hearers were not disappointed.
My delay in appearing at the dinner
tonight said Mr.. Madden. was caused
by the fact that / waited twenty-five
minutes for q car at the corner Of Co
| lumbia road and Connecticut avenue. I
should have arrived sooner had ] walked
1T has been said that the public is not
interested in the management Of public
corporations. but the time viii come when
these same corporations win realize that
the public is not only interested. bur That
it has rights, which through legislation.
must be respected L was somewhat skep-
teal when informed by citizens that their
requests met with the smiles OF officials.
but l have found that their statements
were not OVeTdraWn.
The people of Washington are entitled
TO better street car service, and 1 in
tend to devote my efforts towards that
end.
Entitled TO Cheaper Gas.
They are also entitled to 75-cent gas
because it can be manufactured for 81
cents Twenty-Five cents profit on a 50
cent investment ought to be enough for
any corporation. Were I able to increase
my capital at that ratio. i would have
appeared at the dinner Tonight I'm a
dress suit and would not have had TO ride
in "a 'Harries car.
I believe legislation Will soon be en-
acted that VIII relieve this oppression
by public corporations, although 1 doubt
its passage at the present session.
Tt is my intention 70 introduce a reso-
luton authorizing the Bureau of Corporl-
tons during the recess of Congress to
investigate public corporations. and Sc
cure from their officers under oath such
testimony as viii enable Congress. when
u meets again 20 enact intelligent legis-
latton, authorizing the Commissioners to
enforce the law that viii be placed within /
their jurisdiction.
In presenting Commissioner Macfarland |
the first speaker Of the evening. Mr.. Arm /
strong compimented the Board of Com /
missioners upon their administration I
declaring the present method to be the /
best form of municipal government in |
the United States
Mr.. 8iRcfarIahd Speaks.
After speaking OF the fact that more 1
citizens relatively TO population were or 4
ganized for public effort and to inform /
public opinion here than anywhere else. 4
and this was an evidence of the civic /
pride and public spirit of the District /
people, Mr. Maefarand said:
Your association illustrates this unioue /
distinction OF the National Capital. Our
outside critics, who literally do not know,
what they are talking about. tell US that
we do not have elf-government here.
and that We do not have civic spirit or
patriotism This is because
they do not know the facts
Nowhere else has the intelligent tax
payer, without regard 10 race. sex. or
even age, such influence. personally or
as member Of the community, as here.
Citizens Appreciate Government
1T makes those Of us who have lived
here all our lives and know our local
conditions appreciative of our real gov
eminent by public opinion and distrustful
Of efforts 20 Introduce partisan politics
into our municipal affairs.
Even two Delegates in the House of
Representatives with the right to speak