The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-12-15
PASSAGE OF THE scent GAS
BILL IN THE HOUSE.

The House of Representatives yester-
day passed the two gas bills for the
District of Columbia, for which The
Washington Times, with the Dis
trict Commissioners, the whole body
of consumers, and loyal Congress
ional allies has ben making a fight
for more than a year. The action
of the House, which was practically
unanimous in both cases, follows con
sideration of both these measures for
many months. Speaking broadly, it
may fairly be said that a piece of
legislation seldom passes which is so
well understood by the whole House,
and whose merits have been so com
pletely established, as in the case of
these bills. They have been talked
about. written about, fought about,
analysed, studied, subjected to the
scrutiny and dissection of experts on
both sides; and the action of the
House represents a deliberate purpose
of getting some results, based on in
telligent understanding of the issue.
To Chairman Smith, of the District
Committee, little credit Is due; less
than The Times had hoped lie would
earn. His attitude throughout the dis
cussion yesterday was discouraging. He
took occasion whenever possible TO as
sure the House that the District Com
mittee had not much consideration III
the measure and did not know much
about it. His attitude was bearish He
seemed anxious that the House action
should be robbed of all possible infu-
ence with the Senate. In short, he did
just what might have been expected Of
him after his long and Jealous effort to
prevent the legislation passing last
session.
The two bills 90 TO the Senate In
that body there is every reason to eX-
pect the s5-cent gas bill will pass soon,
for Senator Gallinger has given his
assurance that he believes some reduc-
ton in the gas price should be granted.
The other, the anti-infation measure, Is
likely to have harder shedding 1t Is
the rlore important of the two bills,
but the fallaciOus argument about lin
terfering with the courts" has been
found peculiarly acceptable by Senators
whose predictions are toward the Gas
Monopoly, and who only need an ex-
cuse to vote for it.
It is about as sensible to talk about
interference with the courts" in this
case, as it would be to pirate about in
reference with the officers of the law"
If you saw burglar just climbing out
of your window with all your vaIu-
ahles. You might, of course, take the
position that, the man having commit
ted burglary, he must be hunted up by
the police, and tried by the courts; but
you wouldn't. You'd reach for a club
and bat him over the head before he
got away with the goods.
That is exactly the present situation
rs to this OvercaPitalization project.
The burglar is just crawling out of the
window with the swag on his person.
If Congress doesn't pass this anti-infa-
ton bill he will get away with it.
Interference with the courts is the
veriest rot in such a case as this.
Congress passed a bad law, at time
when Joe Babcock was the head of the
House District Committee, and his in
fluence was all on the side of the cor
PoratiOns. That law ought never to
have been passed 1t ought now to be
repealed before anybody gets away
with any benefits under it. This is
the whole question.