Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-12
Gas Legislation.

Senator Gallinger'S introduction of
gas rate reduction bill in the Senate may
be regarded as an indication that action
will be taken before final Adjournment
upon this matter. locally the most I'M
portant question now before Congress.
The situation. however, demands prompt
procedure The House has sent to the
Senate two bills. reducing the rate
to 81 cents thousand and the other re-
pealing the stock-increase statute, now in
process of Interpretation by the courts
The House is at this time also consider
ing the newly raised question of the pres
ence in the gas of carbon monoxide,
which, it is believed, has caused the death
recently of several people in the District.
Senator Galinger's bill takes all three
of these elements into consideration. 1t
establishes the rate at 80 cents a thou
sand repeats the stock-increase statute
and substitutes new method of adjust
ing the capital stock to the corpora tons
necessities. limits the permissible amount
of carbon monoxide to 10 per cent, and
in consequence of the change thereby re-
quired from water gas to coal gas lowers
the candle power minimum from % to 20.
Thus the bill is a composite of the gas
ISSUES 10 udtS, anu IL pdSSSO ny Lie OCH
ate as a substitute for one of the pend
ing House bills and thus sent into con-
ference-which should be the mode of pro-
cedure in any case-it will serve as an
excellent basis for an enactment that
will go far toward settling this vexatious,
urgent problem.
If the bill is sent into conference it can
at that stage be reshaped according as
the representatives of the two houses
agree. in the interest Of the public, with
due consideration for the corporations
rights in the premises. Between IS and
80 cents a thousand there is no great
difference. 1t may be that the House
will insist upon the lower rate in con-
sideration of the lowered candlepower,
or as a balancing factor to the grant of
a stock-increase process. AS for the
change from water gas to coal gas, the
public will lose slightly in illumina ting
power, but will gain in the greater safety
of life under the new conditions of manu-
facture.
The questions at issue are all suscepti-
BILE of answer in conference. They do
not necessarily lead to deadlock. The
bill. which 1t Is understood embraces con-
cessions the corporation is willing to
grant, brings the various elements in the
case into direct relationship. The circum-
stances of its presentation signify an in
tention to press 1t to conclusion. How
ever complex may be the whole matter,
as result of the recent interjection OF
the me noXide question, and however late
in the session the composite bill makes
its appearance, the situation demands
legislation before adjournment in compre-
hensive terms. If the hour is late it is
because Congress has procrastinated. The
public should be given the benefit of the
lower gas rate demonstrated by compe-
tent witnesses to be compatible with rea-
sonable profits. 1t is entitled to protec-
ton from the poisoning which is threat
ened whenever the gas now produced is
used for heating purposes. At the same
time the company is entitled to some
method OF enlarging it's capitalization to
meet the necessities Of a steadily growing
business. which will be fair both to- the
stockholders and to the consumers. The
evolution CT a law which will accomplish
these ends is not. such d difficult task
that it should be in the least doubt, even
at this late hour in the life of the Con-
gress.