The Washington times., 1908-01-31
Representative Says Mo-
nOpOly's Statements
Concerning Price Are
Not Well Grounded.
Tells of Eighty CentProd-
uct in Milwaukee, and
Predicts Another
Decrease.

4 place no credence in the statement
that The Washington Gas Light Com
pany cannot furnish its consumers
cheaper and a better quality OF gas,"
SAID Representative w. J. Cary Of Wis
consin today.
Mr.. Cary IS 4 member OF the District
Committee, and is devoting consider
able time and study 10 the conditions
here. with a view OF taking an active
part I'm the fight TO secure q reduction
IN the price of gas.
Prepared for Fight.
He IS well qualified for the undertake
ing. having served several terms in the
city council Of Milwaukee, and is
close student Of municipal affairs Dur
ing his service as alderman, ne has con
tended with several corporations which
were flching the people after the meth
oda employed by the Washington Gas
Monopoly.
The assertion of this company said
MI Cary, that gas cannot be pront-
ably produced at much less than the
present price is so ridiculous as 10 be
puerile- To demonstrate the fallacy of
such a statement. it is only necessary
10 cite NY home city of Milwaukee
where the best quality OF sas is furnish
ed at so cents per LOCO cubic feet; and
where more than 10000 feet is used by
a consumer, there is a further TedUc-
ton, bringing the price to approximate
ly 20 cents per LOO feet
Company Makes Money.
''The company is making money at
this figure, and large dividends are reg
uiGrly declared while the stock Is re-
Earded IS one Of the best securities and
investments IN the State. The business
of the company is SO conducted that
at stated intervals every employe par
uCipates IN its earnings and receives a
certain per cent increase of salary, ac-
cOrding TO rating.
Want Better Prices.
"But even at this" continued Mr..
Cary, eve are not satisfied, and intend
10 do better. We know that gas can
be produced cheaper and at substan-
tiaI profit than the prevailing price
First we Will request the company 10
make a further reduction, and if that
fails, then we will apply the alterRa-
tive Of forcing them to IL. az il is patent
the residents of the District must do.
My dealings as a city official with
corporations. an1 mOuOpOlies have been
more than CursOry, and I am somewhat
familiar with their methods For IN
.
IN some act OF fragrant wrongdOing, the
first move is an attempt 10 overawe !
legislative bodies by confronting them /
with an array Of s0-calied experts. and /
attorneys. who hurl back statistics, |
legal anc technical phrases in an en- /
deavor 10 justify their nefarious prac-
tees. And right here is where I be- /
lieve an elective officehOlder should be I
on to his job and not let the people /
whose interests he IS supposed TO rep /
resent be prejudiced or jeOpardiZed-
City Thoroughly Piped.
when the Washington Gas Company /
declares its inability to reduce the price 4
OF its product because Of the enormous
expense of laying mains, covering street
openings. the advanced cost in materi- /
ais, operating expenses, etc, the state
ment viii not hold because the CITY of
Washington is thoroughly piped and with
the modern machinery now used ard
raw materials almost at hand no ten
able ground to such an argument exists.
Moreover, il has been concIusfyelv
shown that the cost Of production in
receiving tanks and distribution is a
Neritabie bagatelle when compared to
the price charged.
50 after paying expenses. including
repairs nd taxes, the profits TO the com
pdny even at IS cents per thousand cubic L
jeet should be sufficient in a city the
SIZE OF washington 10 satisfy the cupid
ity Of the most avaricious monopoly.
For the People.
Il am for the people Of the District
In this fight and shall earnestly rse /
every EFFORT both in the committee and
on the noor Of the House to secure legfs-
latlon that VIII insure cheaper gas
MI cary says he viii advocate any
measure that promises to make Wash
ing the most beautiful, attractive. and
interesting city in the world ana he
lleves that Congress should NOT hesi-
tate 70 appropriate any amount of /