The Washington herald., 1909-02-09

Deploring the failure o. Congress TO
enact legislation 10 restrict the amount
Of carbon monoxide IN the Illuminating
gas sold in the District OF Columbia, Rep
reseutative Gaines, OF Tennessee. con-
Guided his statement yesterday afternoon
bv saving: Gentlemen there is some
thing rotten in the State of Denmark IN
this matter. and think this great Aneri-
can Congress ought 10 find il out
Mr.. Gaines declared Congress had been
working OF gas legislation ten years, and
added: either We have the poorest lot
of expsrts on earth OF this gas has been
roaliEned and slandered. I say L be-
booves rs not only TO do IL for this Dis
trict where we have fun power. but We
should do il for the benefit OF the people
throughout the United States
Question OF Money
We are told that it VIII take great
deal OF money to make this change,
said Mr.. Gaines relative 70 the bin pend
ing IN tAe House TO define the amount Of
-arbon monoxide. "a great deal Of money
% bar the people from dying by poison
Produced by gas
Think Of weighing human life; think
- weighing The happiness Of our neigh
bors and our neighbors' friends; think
II weighing the right to live in the world
by putting dollars and cents on the one
side and these rights upon the other.
They tell Us that II viii cost Sl.O9o,oe0.
r something Ike that, 10 make the
-hanSe. Is It not nObler and better for
he American Congress, II Il comes 10
showdown 10 buy this property that
$ owned here by some powerful concern,
and throw L into the Potomac River
than TO proceed longer here in the man
ner they have done as 10 this matter Of
gas2
Il love human rights and liberty, and
vet yOu hear people start out. both here
and in the streets. IN discussing this
question By saying il viii cost too much
20 do that Think Of IL. gentlemen. i
never weigh dollars and cents in the
scale BY human rights and human lib
srty-and never intend TO DO T.
As for my part. If was on the com
mittee-this is my personal view. and
an not rejecting in the least upon any
nan-I would vote 10 make them stop
manufacturing this gas would make
I reform in some way along the line.
IS Il Is. there "a no reform
7 an gratifed 10 hear that the com
nIttee Is making progress IN this matter
I hope they VIII. and I hope they viii
-epOrt at this session
sims, Plan Blocked.
Representative Sims attempted to get
the House 70 consider his bill provinding
Tor s0-cent gas and also restricting the
amount OF carbon mOnoxide IN the pro
5uct Of the gas companies IN Washington,
out Representative Mann objected, and
he matter vent over.
Nh Sims asked unanimous consent that
The District Committee be relieved Of fur
ther consideration Of the bill and that Il
be taken up for passage He said that
every point il his measure had been con-
sidered by the committee, and that he be
Heved the information az hand justified
immediate action By the House.
A review OF the various gas bills pend
NJ IN the House was given by Mr.. Sims,
EhO said that his bin combined al fea-
lures. and would be satisfactory TO all
concerned
He declared there vas no use having
other hearings 70 inform the members
bon mOnoxide, as several experts had
testified as 10 that and that no experts
had said the gas was not dangerous.
Mr., Sins now hopes TO have the CON-
mittee consider his bill before the next
District day, when he believes il viii be
called up and passed
A member OF the Senate District Cou1-
mittee said yesterday he was OF the opin-
Ion that the other members OF that body
were Tot in favor OF the Sims bill That
Is not the way we intended going about
this matter" he added
Confident of LeEIsIation.
Senator GaHinse- stated that he and
his conferees we're struggling with the
matter, and hoped 10 enact some legis-
alton before March 4
The chairman intfmated that he was
sorry the matter had not been gotten in
shape for action earlier.
This. Ike all short sessions. Is not q
desirable tine TO attempt such legislation,
but We appreciate as well as the general
public that the gas question Is a matter
OF utmost importance, and We intend 70
effect a remedy Just as soon as possible
We may not be able 70 set all the Iegisla-
ton We are lighting Tor IN this session
but what We fail TO enact now viii be
enacted at the next Congress-
The Senator said 1t was the intention OF
those Interested in the measure to insert
specific regulations 10 govern the quality
Df the product and 70 prevent the manu-
facture Of gas containing a large amount
Of carbon mOnOXide as is now prevalent
Recouufffed IN Dfsfr5cf Coruv,fffee
On the motion Of Senator GaIlinger. the
BIN relating TO the practice Of medicine
and surgery in the District was recon-
mitted to the District Committee. The
measure had been favorably reported
from that committee several DAYS ago
and provides that all honorabIy discharged
surgeons Of the army, navy, and Marine
Corps Of the United States may practiee
in the District without first obtaining 4
fs~ensa s Yru,he~ % ofhe- -of-o- -