The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-29
Hearing Before the House District
Committee Concluded.

should be included in the appraisal of
the property used in every case
:. II is not against public policy. as
defined by the courts. for public service
corporations to permanently invest I'M
divided profits earned under statutory
regulations and rates. in extensions, bet
terments or surplus of any kind or for
any purpose
s. II is not within the power Of Con-
gress 10 pass discriminatory laws; that
is to say, laws that In effect deny 10
one person the protection granted 70
others-all persons, whether natural or
artificial being equally guaranteed by
the Constitution in the fun use and en-
joyment of their property and property
rights
l should like very much. Mr.. Chairman
TO proceed Immediately TO discuss these
propositions without further reference
to the determinations which are more
or less, as l have already said, in the
atmosphere OF this case. did I not feel
, il my duty 10 all whom il may concern.
once and for all 10 demonstrate, by I'M
Improbable testimony. that the com
pany is not only negatively innocent in
the premises. but afirmatively worthy
and we'll qualified on account OF its
merits TO be commended, here and else
where, as a good and faithful steward.
the peer Of any and second to none.
| In the full and just performance Of its
public and civic duties.
! Now, then let US cast aside all tech
nicalities and prejudlces. and look the
/ whole subject squarely in the face TO
see if we can what there is in it OF truth
and veracity-or OF the want of it-con-
scious. subeonscious. or unconscious.
! on the threshold OF our modest factory
/ into which l am about TO invite YOU, l re-
eret TO say that there is not about any
other industry of universal interest Ia this
| country so much persistent ignorance as
there is in regard 20 the business Of gas
making. Considering the familiarity of
the public with the subject its intensely
intimate relation TO its affairs from the
! cradle TO the grave-the magnitude OF
| the general misnformation about this
art is simply astounding, II is now
| over a hundred years since Murdoch
/ startled the world with his truly Alad-
din Tampa discovery that has i'm
measurably contributed TO the comfort
convenience. and safety Of mankind. II is
not too much to say that since the tabled
/ Prometheus brought fire from heaven
there have been few more benehcent
achievements And yet II is impossible
TO escape the conviction that there are
intelligent men among us. otherwise
reasonable responsible. and representa-
tive citizens. who actually believe. Judg
ing from their attitude toward IL, thT
gas making is a nefariOus business. and
that we have no rights which anybody
worth talking about is bound 10 respect
This. feeling may be aptly expressed b,
paraphrasing the old slogan (equanl
compromising and uncompromising)
Anything TO beat Grant" II sounds Ike
an incredible thing. but il is none IN,
less true, that there are literally thou
sands Of people throughout the countr!
J who cannot be divorced from their de
lusions upon this subject by any amour
Of argument; people who persist in be
lieving. for instance, that il costs moth
ing comparatively speaking, 20 maxi
gas. that ii requires nothing or next q
nothing i'm the way Of capital to produc
It. and that. unlike other successful
concerns. public or private. no part o
its financial prosperity past or present
, is due or ought TO be credited 10 sount
, financial methods. judiCious investment
or. generally speaking. good manage
ment Why. we are gravely told tina
b. we are neither entitled 10 the lion
/ share nor the lambs portion Of the so
I called .'unearned increment" that Ia
made Washington famous-because, for
5 sooth. we have contributed nothing I
D It's growth and development. We VIII
r have mainly for over half A centur
( furnished the light without which
: would stiIl. to a moral certainty, be
4 village surrounded by Potomac marshe.
e Illuminated on moonless nights only b
] pitch torches jack-o' lanterns. and fir
D flies. Nor is this. the appropriation 9
D our share Of the increment, the heigh
e of our offense-there are those VIII
[ stoutly maintain that We should actual
o be regulated out of business for reir
I vesting. from time to time. a substantis
e part Of our talents as good steward
o usually do, in a surplus to promote ou
J. business or to safeguard IT against az
? cidents to come, These are men {
5 straw. Mr.. Chairman. rhetorically s,
3 up to be arEumentatively knocke
down. Here come the Commissioners {
e the District OF Columbia. for instanc,
e eminently intelligent, respectable, an
i honorabls men. all Of them Good me
Let
2 read their report upon this bill. an
s see If have overdrawn the picture:
y 1.-THE Commissioners of the District
g Columbia have received House JOIN
I Resolution No. 146, 6lst Congress ID Sc
II sion, referred TO them for examinatio
8 and report, &c, and they have the hon,
TO state that they are heartily in fave
y OF the legislation proposed therein"
4 Bear in mind the fact II you pleas
that we are all political wards here
o Washington, and these gentlemen al
s our trustees and guardians. Do you wal
8 any better proof OF prejudice than the
II heartily" approving, apparently witt
out consideration. a measure that denf
to us the use and enjoyment Of OF
d property to an extent that might
Is fatal to our corporate lives Heartily
n as though enjoying a mess of that magi
/ terial meat that Caesars immemOrial
e have grown great upon. Heartily" al
& that. too. you will notice, without eve
e offering US that counterfeit presentme
IS of a day in court judicially styled
1t official circles "a Municipal Hearing
l. Mr.. Chairman. we are their largest Ia
], payers. but that avails Us nothing; '
Y, cheerfully give up to them one hundr,
lie per cent more Of our earnings than do
o any other utility. that moves them nc
we make a smaller percentage OF pro