Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-02
Cheaper and Better Gas.

With the converting of Congress comes
. renewed and timely activity on the part
81 the Commissioners in the campaign for
cheaper gas. AS The Star rece utly pointed
out, the attempt of the gas company to
increase its capital stock. under the
statute enacted by the last. Congress, in
wolves Il demonstration of large profits
from the sale of gas at the present price,
which perfects the argument for price
reduction that is based on the time which
has elapsed since the last lowering of the
price the invention and use in this in
tcrval OF cheaper processes of gas manu-
facture. and the actual decrease in rates
in many cities where the conditions closely
approximate those of Washington. 1t was
also pointed out that as increased capt.
talization. and especially overcapitaliza
ton. would, when perfected, through the
injection into the case of the equities of
the new stockholders place an obstacle in
the way of future price reductions. the
necessity. was created of speedy readjust
ment ofNthe price, in the light of the in
formation furnished by the stock-increase
proceedings, before the new stock issue
passed into the hands of the widows and
orphans, to whom in all such cases it
seems irresistibly, if mysteriously, to
sravitate.
Washington wants not only cheaper gas,
hut better gas. The District government
contends that. the gas furnished for pub
liz lighting has not been up to the stand
ard. and seeks the legal penalties There
is no penalty directly provided for the
projection of the. private consumer. Wash
ington wants better gas even more keenly
than il wants cheaper gas, and it wants
the law. in such shape: as to compel the
furnishing of this better gas. =
Fhe Commissioners have been COM
mcrdabIy active in the 'endeavor to pro-
tect the community. against the evil of
decentralization of the gas stock. and
they Indicate that there will be no abate
ment of that activity. The first effort
talready init iated in 1.-The case of the
!Ieorgetown company is TO. get the court
to:sosconstrue the statute as to minimize
capitalization. and prevent overcaptaliza-
ton; next, if the court finds that the
words of the law permit a far more ex-
handed capitalization than, it is thought,
Congress intended, comes the appeal to
Congress to amend the statute by placing
specific limits upon the bases or the
amount OF capitalization. or to repeal the
stock-increase- provision outright. -.
Washington wants and needs to secure
cheaper and tbetter gas as speedily as
possible, This legislative proposition
should. it would seem, be pushed Xigor
olIsly on its own merits. and not be made
an appendage to the proposition to sus-
pend .or amend or repeal the stock-in-
crease statute. The latter proposition
handled separately. will lose no strength.
If Congress responds to it quickly and
favorably gas consumers will benefit and
future price reduction will be facilitated.
II Congress does not respond, or delays
its. response. the very existence on the
statute books of the 'stock-increase provi-
sion. unrepealed and unamended,- fur
nishes. as has been: already indicated, the
strongest and most urgent argument for
immediate price reduction. In either
event, therefore, and irrespective of the
fate of stock-incraase legislation, there is
the immediate duty to decrease the price
and improve the quality of gas; and leg
islative action with these results cannot
be approached too DIRECTLY and accom-
plished too quickly by Congress.