Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-23
Gas Legislation Needed.

The Senate should by all means pass
some sort of gas bill at the present ses-
sion. as quickly as possible. so as to give
time for sufficient review and a salts
factory reshaping of the measure in con-
ference. The Gallinger bill, coming from
the District committee with a unanimous
favorable report. covers all the points of
interest 10 the consumers. offering re-
duction of price, the practical elimination
of carbon monoxide and the substitution
for the present statutory provision for
stock increase another method. under the
supervision of the court. The Senate
should shape the measure as 1t seems to
be fair to the public and to the company
on all these lines. but it should act with
such expedition that the conferees will
have time to adjust the various issues be-
tween the two houses on a basis that will
command passing vote in both branches.
If the Gallinger bill does not place the
rate low enough to suit the majority In
both houses. the ninety-cent provision
should, in the Senate or in conference.
he lowered to the eighty-ive-cent rate
named already by the House. If the
provision designed to prevent carbon mo-
noxide poisoning is not perfectly effective
TO this end. it should be strengthened to
insure the desired object. If the stock
increase provision is in any particular too
advantageous to the company and mimi
cal TO the public interests, It should be
changed to he made fair to everybody.
IL Is not conceivable that the Senate or
the two houses in conference will con-
fess inability to amend the bill to rem
der 1t a safe law with regard to the
capitalization of the gas company and
with reference to the requested right to
acquire coal properties.
1t is to be remembered that If this bill,
rs amended, fails of passage there will
he no gas legislation whatever by this
Congress. and no prospect of relief from
the present burdens for many months.
The rate will remain at the excessive
point of a dollar a thousand feet. The
carbon monoxide percentage will remain
at the height at which 1t now stands,
menace to human life whenever the gas
is used for heating purposes. The exist
ing stock increase law will remain on the
statute books, unrepealed and unaltered,
awaiting the ruling of the Supreme Court
upon the divergent decisions Of the two
lower courts. 1t has been urgently claimed
that 1t Is not safe for the public to leave
this statute on the books. The company
IS doubtless Wiling 10 take 1tS chances
on the Supreme Courts opinion If mean
while 1t is allowed to charge one dollar a
thousand feet. and to continue unchecked
the manufacture of gas by the cheap pro-
cesses which are responsible for the pres
ence of carbon monoXde.
The effect of no legislation will be dis
tnctly in favor of the company all along
the line. The public will surely gain much
M
less poisonous gas. the repeal of the OBJ
jectionable stock increase statute and the
substitution for it of a provision which
must run the gauntlet of the House con-
ferees and the House. and which should
therefore be fair and reasonable in its
terms, enabling the company to enlarge
its capital without at the same time
saddling the consumer with a resultant
permanence of high rates.