The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-02-26

The District Commissioners, by the
Corporation Counsel, appealed TO the
Court OF appeals OF the District, and
that court finally decided with the Com
missiOners, finding the act Of June,
1896, unconstitutional The gas company
appealed at once to the Supreme Court
Of the United States and that appeal
is now pending. As the case has been
considered q close one, there has been
the greatest concern by the friends
Of the movement for better regulation,
lest the Supreme Court might sustain
the unjust and improper act permitting
practically unlimited imitation. through
the appraisal Of elements which should
not properly enter into such a deter
minaJlon-
The effort has been making IN Con
gress. ever since this proceeding Was
started in the courts, 10 have this
dangerous Law repealed The HOUSE tIls
wear. inserted in the District bill a pro
vision for its repeal That provision
was cut out by the Senate 1ne con
ference has now decided 10 resIere IL
Fight in Committee.
Messrs- Madden and Burlessn made
the fight in the conference committee,
which continued for hours They Won
their point by insistence and persjs-
some provision for reorganizatisn ought
10 be made at this session. These men.
however, stood firmly for the proposition
that this law is dangerous and could
not possibly be left on the books with
safety To the public interest.
With this act repealed, the situation
stands thus.
The recapitalizatiOn proceeding pend
ing in the Supreme Court VIII die be
cause there will no longer be law au-
thorizing it. II viii be as II 1t had never
been begun
The gas companies VIII be LETT aDs0-
luteIy without any authority for recap
italizatiou until they can get II from
Congress.
In the getting Of it, they viii have
10 wait TIL next session, and they VIII
then have to make their fight with an
organized and thoroughly instructed op-
position IN Congress which VIII stand
against any indecent capitalization
grab, and for a plan of price reduction
which shall conserve the interests CT
The people
Senate Bill to Fail
That the Senate committee bill viii
fail at this session is assured beyond
reasonable doubt. The analyses Of that
measure by The Times, and The study
of its provisions by some OF the best
lawyers in both houses, has led to the
WIDESPREAD conviction that is 2 thUl
ouEhIy dangerous measure which rep
resents almost IN toto the desires OF the
gas monopoly, and would aid il in car
ryiuE out an even worse scheme OF CAP
itaIization than would be possible Ur-
der the act of JUnG. 1895.
Accordingly. with the Senate bill de
prived OF all chance TO pass the Who'll
Eas business viii have 20 stand still.
unless there shall Yet De time 20 pres
a simple measure for reduction Of the
price and pass it this session, leaving
the capitalization question 10 so over
10 another session. Friends oN ieSlsla-
tiOn in the popular inteveSt stu have
hopes of accomplishing this much,
which would make the victory Complete-
In any case IL Is assured by the con
ferees' action that the gas grab VIII
not be authorized this year
The committee also agreed on a pro
vision which vii lreQuire the gas con-
panies 70 keep a set of books such as
may be prescribed by the Interstate
Commerce Commission This provision
is patterned after the requirements
made BY the public service commission
or New York.