The Washington times., 1908-10-30

w. IS
chairman of the House Committee the District OF Columbia to re-
port any bills for the proper control of the local Gas Monopoly he
must write himself down. type, its partner Here his own
words addressed the editor of the GasCompayo~ned Washing
Committee on he District Of Columbia
Pontiac Mich Oct 26 1908.
further matter @ from o The TqS9inSqe e g6 t9 aad
aIso two documents Which are being freely throughout the
district good Whatever result be- am
trying TO Keep them Oo''' i8isned s W. SMITH.
In view of this Conesman utter nonpefomance of his duty
to the people National Capital to the pending gas legislation
other matters equally Serious The Times has undertaken to put his
record the who must either reject him or reward him.
IS piable TeveauOn-Of opposition to the President acq0 III
The demands of the railroads. pleas selected corporations IN na-
affairs; of inability procure the most plainly needed control
corporations in District affairs the particular field OF that commit
whose work he has directed
The Judgment of this newspaper was that Mr. Smith
rupt 1t had found be Inactive it rha he was tmd had
come realize that weak and for these qualities was not sur
psed that his service him be incompetent But comes
this letter Every reader-n the District of Columbia and the Sixth
Michigan Congressional dtic-wi consuue for himself On this
much however Smith and the Washington Post must agree:
That it casts heavy cloud this chaimanS Theoretical nde-
pendene action wherever the Washington Post feels itself to be in
tereSted.
In what matters will the Washington Post feel itself to be interest
ed? It has made them plain day.
When the whole field of its Washington readers represented
score of citizens associations earnestly pionng their city cou-
Gil with Mr. Smith head of banCh for relief from the
actions of the Gas Monopoly protection from burden the
Post had no sense of duty which publish single resolution
report single meeting to give single word OF the news to its
readers
When the District Government invitation from the courts in
tened in the name the whole people of the District to avert these
new burdens again had duty which mpeHed to
publish single word.
When the courts held the hands of the Gas Monopoly the
had no sense duty which required to print anything beyond scant
announcement of the decision.
When the Capitol buzzed waiting for Mr. Smith to report the
bills made necessary by action of the District government these de-
cons of courts these petitions from citizens associations not even
did the Post have any of duty which required to report
In to the dav when the District Commissioners accepted the nvi
taon of the courts and did their duty by the people the Post had rare
" taken note of local affairs expressed only favor for the pres
of the District government when commented upon it I'M
meday the Commissioners moved against the Gas Monopoly with
purpose reduce the price Of gas to that paid by other ue to pro
cure quality as fixed by law prevent doubling of the interest
charges which the consumer pay that moment the Post began
agitation against District government And in pursuit OF change
any change at ALL stopped mSquotng citizens nSrent
ing them altogether publishing arguments favor Of its stand
opinions diametricaIy opposed.
No one wonders at this in Washington who realizes this we'll
known and highly significant fact
That which has made the Gas Monopoly so bold
absolute in the management Of the POST that the pre
dent the and Of controlling interest in the other
Representative Samuel W. Smith this last year He has been
told of it a thousand the of the pending campaign
When he entered any negotiations with the Post of whatsoever
sort therefore knew, he must have known he was dealing with the
active organ of the Gas Monopoly.
Yet he sends to copies of egraHs from The Washington Times
He ncoses further reading mattel He regards keeping them inform
ed of so much import himself that he acts their picket the
firing line And-hs nSter-he regards his return to
Congress of much import to the interests behind the Post that he
counts on their active sympathy and support
"Iet the good work 80 on" he writes
What good work?
# the destruction of the present District government? it an
agitation for destruction with purpose to choke the two Con
qon Committees the District of Columbia that they cannot
report next session the pending gas bs the reelection of Samuel
M Smith and the continuation of s partnership between the
nopoy and the chairman the House Committee the District of
Columbia?
Whatever may be- the people of the Capital and the Sixth Mch
gan Congressional district may be sure of this
H. I,,lyo Of