The Washington times., 1910-03-17
ADVOCATES Of GAS
INQUIRY PREPARING
FOR NEW BATTLE
Brown Declares Inaction
Will Mean Move For Com
mittee'S Discharge.
OTHERS TNSISTENT
FOR INVESTIGATION
Gallinger Displays No Enthusiasm,
Declaring Regular Procedure
Will Be Followed.

The friends OF the Washington Gas
Light Company in the Senate viii be
unable 20 smother the amended reso-
luton OF Senator Brown Of Nebraska.
calling for sweeping Investigation OF
the affairs OF the company.
Unless the resolution. or one AT least
calculated 20 get 20 the bottom of ihe
capitalization question, IS reported OUT
of the Senate District Committee f. n
reasonable length OF time. the battle or
yeserday in the Senate Will be fought
over again.
Senator Norris Brown OF Nebraska.
with the backing OF many other Sena-
tors IS determined not TO allow the
District Committee 20 bury the plan
10 investigate the Tas company. Senator
Brown says u the resolution is not re-
ported out OF the District Comitt,-s in
a reasonable length Of time. he Will
II necessary, move 20 discharge the
c0Wmittee
Senator Brown InsIsteut.
"I 10 not intend that the plan 90 in
TcsuEdte the Washington Gas Light
company shall be smothercd." was the
declaration 0f Mr.. Brown. Ule has be-
come kcenly interested in the local .-as
situation. because Of the apparent ma
ture pf the abuses from which the PEG
pie ui the District are suffering and
who IS convinced the time Is al hand
i'r congress to- take hold Of the public
utilities ~ the District and regulate
iEe'n IA fashion that shall serve as an
example 10 the country
Not alone VIII there he dererufrs.a
opposition to efforts 90 baIk an in,e.-
ti-ariou Oh toe part OF the senate D. .-
..,l' - -onE senu Gent or the House
Slte tor aU nVesti-atiuu. The House
'.attilt t1HH1i-tee 4vay conclude t0
Laee trs nla-ter 10 iu earnest ana pro
0'e--" an inquiry Of It's own.
Real Purpose Is to Eal.
II is regarded as tine general feeling
among Senators who want an iuyss.f-
5atou of tile Washington Gas Tf,br
company that The real object OF hayfn.-
The resolution referred TO The Senate
District Committee was 60 KIN d. and
10 is declared Jl4- strong pressure viii
'e brought TO bear I0 smother not ONLY
i.is resolution, but anything Jhat bears
ihe semblauce OF "a resolution Of invcsti-
Eaull OF Inquiry.
The resolution Will 20 10 the subcom-
uI-tee which has char5e Of IubI.. ser,.-
lrt COZ ippIdLlou matters. Of which sen
ator Garter of Montana Is chairman
senator GdlLuEcr. chairman OF the
Senate District Committee. D. not evIuc-
ms any enthusiasm ABOUT pushing The
proposed investigation into washington
Gas LIbut Company affairs by "a king
the matter up al once.
When asked what action would be
taken. now than mis- committee had Sc
cured Jurisdiction Of The subject Sen
atJT Gel.luLer said tnaJ he did u0J know
what would De the next move for an
investigation lie said that his com
Wittee would take up the measure in
due time.
GalhngeT on Procedure.
81 cannot tell what viii be tEe fate
OF the resolution now before NY COM
miJtce.' said Senator GaIinEes. L only
know that IL has been referred as 70
should have been To Jne District C0ul-
nutrec, and that II Is now reauy Cor
consideration by that body. There are
various and suudry other matters nO,,
pending before that committee and q
course this one must take 81 proper
course.
Martin Is Silent.
This is all Senator GalIinger wanted
TO say about the situation. While he
won a victory in the Senate in having
the inquiry referred 10 his committee
rather thau 20 Senator Browns com
mittee, he did not seem particularly
jUUilaut over IL
Senator Martin OF Virginia had moth
Ing 20 say on the subject. he Is mem
Der OF the Senate District Committee.
one Of the surprises Of the discussion
over the question Of whether Senator
Browns resolution should be side
tracked by reference 10 the District
Committee was the lmpaSSloneo speech
of Senator Martin. II Is one OF the
traditions Of the Senate that Mr.. Martin
rarely shows enough concern TO be
st rred 10 the point Of talking about
bill. But in this case he not only
talked. but became excited and de
uOuuced what ne called the attempt az
invasion of the jurisdiction Of the Sen
ate District Committee.
Senator Smith OF Maryland is another
Democrat Of prominence who lined up
against the proposed investigation Of
the Washington Gas Light Company
This attitude on the part Of Senator
Smith IS likely 90 be a subject % inter
estinC comment i'm Maryland for the
supremeIy interested in the gas question
Itself and iS seeking TO reduce the price
OF gas to an equitable figure.
Interesting SideIghts.
The manner in which certain Senator's
on the Democratic side "ducked" when
ii came to voting on the question OF
what TO do with senator Browns reso-
Iurion was another Of the interesting
sideliZhts on the spectacle presented in
the Senate when the question Of investi-
cation came mp.
Senator la Toilette. who is a member
of the Committee on Corporations Or .
SauTzeG i'm the District, insisted on Ger
tain of the Democratic Senators coming
ont of the cloak rooms and voting Sen
ator Talia ferrO, chairman Of tire Conn
mittcC ON Corporations Organized in ihet
District which reported ont the Brown .
resolution. made a speech 10 the senate f
Ia which He took lUke-warm position F..
a bout having the investigation conduct
ed BY mis- committee.
In the course OF tho debate. Senator
NIdrich and Senator Lodge came 10 the
rescue Of Senator GallinScr and urged 4
lEal rhe resoLuL-on s-lulL 20 - ~