The Washington times., 1908-04-16

would certainly be what the public is
entitled 70 have.
Debate on whether a bill for e0-cent
or o7-cent gas should be prepared then
became general In the interests Of
harmony however. the 90-cent propo-
slLlon was generally adopted
Discussion vas being had on who
should draft the new bill when the
meeting was ended by the call 10 the
Rouse. a procedure which cOmpels the
attendance IN the House Of all its mem
2eIS. IL was necessary 10 have bill
drafted anC this viii yet have 10 be
zone, as no $-cent bill has been intro
House VIII Pass Bill.
Members Of the. committee expressed
the opinion after the meeting that AZ
the next meeting the eo-cent bill viii
Be prepared and reported 70 the House
With an urgent recommendation that II
oe passed as speedily as possible That
the House VIII follow the r-commenda-
uon' cannot be doubted. ArnpIe indica-
tlon OF the sentiment among the Repre-
sentatives was afforded when by an
overwhelming vote they put into the
District appropriation biz the provi
SlCn that The gas monopoly shall fur
n n. S1 the District government with gas
Therefore. as the situation now
STANDS, the only thing between Cheaper
gas Tor the public OF TIE District OF
CoIum6la IS what the Senate viii do
with the bill when the House has per
Iected IL II is generally understood
that the Senate favors the uroo0sftiOn
ana that majority OF the Senate com
n.itIee !nl or the District Of Columbia
lakes a similar position The only eIa-
ment OF doubt as 10 the outcome Of
the campaign for Cheaper gas is. whether
there viii be time between row and the
adjournment OF Cor gress for the Sen
ate 10 pass the bill
supporters OF the niCrr-Ient IN both
ofancheS, while they rea lie the posi-
nllty OF there not being sufficient time
express the hope and belief that the
bill signed by the President bv tbe
time Congress adjourns, which viii be
about the middle OF Nav In anv event
however. II the bill Is not made q law
IN this session Of Congress. il viii be-
come a law in the next.
Greatest Victory in Years.
Friends OF cheap gas were unre-
strained in their Expressions OF graft
fication to-day at the outcome before
the committee. Not TO- many wears.
they said, has such a vic orr. been Won
IN the lower House for the people Of
the District
They laughed today at the boasts that
were made by the Gas MonOpolv's :
friends in the beginning OF the session
tnaJ there would be no action by either
committee OF Congress on the gas Ques-
ton They forgot the gloomy preyjit-
lions that had been made in certain
quarters that no such legislation as the
people demanded could be had in either
the House or the Senate
The citizens associations The in
dividual citizens. and TIE Times were
congratulated on the long step made
To-Day toward realization OF the pub
lies rights in the matter.
Corporation Commission.
The earlier part OF the committees
discussion Of the bIl for a public serv-
Ice commission. which was called IN bv
Chairman Smith Sentiment was d.
vided as to whether a permanent or a
temporary commission should be estsb-
hshed or whether the powers Of pub
lie service commission should be dele
gated To the District Commissioners.
Uncertainty on these points was
caused by doubts as 10 whether there
Would De enc3g5 work in the District
10 keep a puJlic utilities Commission
busy for more than a limited time. If
this were true. the committee saw the
IN nwisdom oi creating a permanent.
be done - ei,.ner a temporary cvS.lrf1is-
sion or by experts employed by the Dis
Jrict Commissioners
No conclusion was reached on this
bill, as the discussion branched OF 10
the gas matters
Next week, the members OF the con-
mittee think, this bill and the oa-ce1+
gas bill viii be laid before the House
for passage
Campbell Bill Monday.
It is now practically certain That next
Monday will be set aside in the Rouss
for consideration OF District pills This
being so. the Campbell resolution TO re-
peal the imitation clause vi be voted
on in the II )use next MoEiay.
The 90-cent gas bill Viii be consid-
ered by the committee next THURSDAY
II the committee reports Il. the HOUSE
will. in all probability. not have q
chance TO vote on Il until two weeks
from next Monday. it being the rule
that District day comes only every two
weeks.
Easter Sunday at New Cape May