The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-24
WATCH CONGRESS. "
Some Reflections on It's Ability TO
Regulate Corporations.

Regulate Corporations.
From tas Louisville C5mi5r-JmuaL
Americans who favor the adjustment
of State rights and Federal control Of
everything, upon the high ground that
local self-goyerHmeut is a failure because
legislatures are corrupt and incapable
might prodtabiy study legislation for the
District Of Columbia by Congress.
The Washington Gaslight Company 10
just nov watering it's stock under the
shadow Of the dome Of the Capitol. Col
lier.s Weekly invites the nation TO watch
Congress TO see II the shell game Is inter
supted in its work Of fleeing the people
of the National Capital. and To Judge by
the action Of Congress its fitness TO con-
trol corporations throughout the land
The Washington Herald, quoting the
paragraph here referred to. calls atten-
ton to the fact that Congress has made
futile efforts for years 10 regulate the
Washington GaslIght Company. but has
never succeeded Friends Of the cor
poratiou it is pointed out. have always
stood guard over it's interests I'm the
House and i'm the Senate. once a bill
10 reduce the price Of gas was passed in
the House, but soon thereafter IT entered
upon a soldiers sleep ia a committee
room. In humiliation and disgust ac-
cordlng 10 The Washington Herald.
Washington has watched the scandalous
performance year i'm and year out"
The scandalOus performance referred to
is, Of course, not that of Congress. but
that OF the Washington Gaslight Com
pany. Congress has scandalously not per
formed. Many citizens OF the United
States. viewing the national lawmaking
body from distance that lends enchant-
ment. consider il far above the petty. and
sometime paying. vices Of a State or
municipal lawmakiHg body. Bourke Cock
ran, after a score OF years Of close ac-
quaintanceship with Congress. saws with
tine authority Of long experience as an
intelligent spectator Of. and participator
in, national legislation. that there isn't
wasn't, and never will be such thing as
bribery IN the House or Senate. Still
the corporations that light the homes of
Washingtonians, convey WashingtOnians
to and from their homes. and perform
other services for profit, have things much
their own way on Capitol Hin. The triumph
Of the octopus where pulsate the vitals of
the Federal government is an ugly fact
that should loom large upon the horizon
Oh every lHleIABenL person VINO believes
that the good old doctrine Of home rule
should be abandoned. and that the Con-
stitutiOn is a document much out Of date
and M only 20 be trodden under the feet
of Congress and the Supreme Court.
Say of the integrity of the national gov
eminent, and the incOTruptibIlity Of Con-
gress what you will the scent Of gas and
traction legislation in Washington hangs
about it still. Mr.. Cockran-and let us
be thankful for it's nearer right in his
estimate Of Congress and members Of
Congress than the muck raker who be-
lieves that everything is rotten I'm Den
mark. Congress is very much like other
lawmaking bodies. II is neither sans sin
nor sans virtue. When the inhabitants OF
the District Of Columbia rise up and call
Congress blessed, and testify that It legis-
lates for the District of Columbia honest
~. impartlally, infallibly, the time to con-
slider giving over to the Federal govern
ment the rights OF States may be nearer
at hand. But before that time, perhaps
the millennium will also have arrived