The Washington herald., 1907-02-09
PROBE GAS And CARS
Corporations Bureau May IN
yeStigate Public Utilities.
ALREADY HAS ENOUGH POWER
Plan said to Have Been Agreed Upon
by Leaders in the House Which
MOrreI Joint observation-disclosures
renee of senate Is Also Expected.

An understanding has been reached
among House leaders in regard to public
service corporations In the District of
Columbia. The agitation for cheaper gas
and better street railway facilities has
resulted i'm the introduction Of the follow
ing by Representative MorreH. of Penn
sylvania, a member Of the District Com
mittee:
Joint resolution requesting the Bureau Of Corpora
tons 90 c1late information and consider and
recommend legislation concerning the public
utilities in the District Of Columbia.
Resolved by the Senate and House Of Represen-
tatives Of the United States % America in Con
eress assembled. That the Bureau Of Corporations
be- aud is hereby. requested 30 investigate questions
appertaining 10 the lighting Of lie District 0f Co
lumbia tgas and electric. the telephone system.
the operation OF street railways, and any other
public utility which in their Judgment requires in-
veStigatiun and to report o. the Sixtieth Congress
and suggest legislation as u may deem best upon
these subjects.
Sec Q That the Bureau Of Corporations shall give
reasonable time for hearings. II deemed necessary.
and 10 shall be- allowed any extra actual necessary
expenses thereby incurred. Il shall have the au-
tIoritE to send for persons and papers, aud TO
administer osths and airmstious-
Sec s. That a sun sufficient 90 carry out the
provisions Of this act Is hereby appropriated out
Of ann money 10 the Treasury Of the United States
not otherwise appropriated.
This plan already has received general
consent The first plan discussed CON
tained the idea of special commission,
10 consist of three members each of the
House and Senate, with power TO call per
sons and send for papers and make a re-
port to the next Congress Of al facts con-
nectod with the corporations indicated.
To this the objection was made that the
members OF the commission proposed as
members Of the House and Senate, would
have TO pass afterward on the recon-
mendations they might make, and they
would be embarrassed. if not exposed 10
tho charge Of prejudice.
Wiser Plan Agreed Upon.
Il was deemed wiser to place the inquiry
in the hands Of the Bureau Of Corpora
tons That body IS impartial, and il is
clothed with AN the powers necessary for
getting the Information required. Under
the terms OF the act creating the Depart
meut of Commerce and Labor, the Bureau
of Corporations was endowed with ex-
traordiuary powers for the express pur-
pose of digging into The affairs OF corpo-
rati0ns anywhere that might be doing
business " lt- al i4tiiit-S disregard lot ana
defiance Of public and private rights. The
strength and efficacy OF these powers have
been tested IN the investigation of the
beef, OIL drug, and lumber trusts.
Il is believed that "a majority az The
House District Committee 90 which tliv
MorreN resolution was referred. is now in
favor Of the plan Indicated. and that it is
merely matter of time when the Tcsolu-
ton VIII De reported out and passed by
the House. If the House adopts the plan,
no doubt the Senate will concur.