Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-15
Whole Matter Tabled.

tioii 10 tdDle tne minority report prevailed
by vote Of 80 to % The majority report
then came up for consideration, and "a
motion was quickly made to table that
vote Of ~ to 81
| The result OF the action by the chamber.
therefore, was virtually victory for the
minority report OF the committee. which
recommended that the chamber take no
part in the matter.
President Oyster submitted to the cham
Der a letter from Secretary Mac eagh of
the treasury. urging the chamber not to
oppose the proposed legislation.
| A report urging the government to in
crease the salaries of the employees of the
departments and of the District govern
ment was unanimously adopted. The re-
port was submitted by a committee con-
SlstlnE of A. Lisner chairman: D. S.
forter vice chairman. d. J. kaufman,
Cuno H. Rudolph and f L. Siddons.
Public Service Commission.
The chamber also went on record in
FAVOR of the enactment into law of the
Dill now before Congress giving the
district Commissioners the powers of
d pubic service commission to regu-
late the gas. electric light, street car
and telephone companies
Ihis action on the part Of the cham
Der followed an earnest plea on the
part or Charles W. Darr that the cham
Der ask congress to investigate the
charges made by the telephone COM
| pany mere for business telephones. Mr.
barr gave statistics of other cities in
ciudins Chicago and Indianapolis. to
| snow that the charges for commercial
telephones in Washington were higher
| than in other cities He said that if
| the telephone company was giving
| good service at a just cost to the con-
sumner the company could not possibly
| OBJECT to having such an investigation.
| If the charges for the service We're eX-
| Orblfant. he said, the citizens should
| know 1t and Congress should enact
| law giving a fair rate.
| Proposed Telephone Investigation
The scope Of the investigation proposed
by Mr.. Darr included an investigation of
the actual, bona tide investment in the
properties of the telephone company: the
amount used from operating receipts in
permanent improvements; the amounts
of stock issued, when issued and for
what consideration. the amounts of all
moneys received from issues of stocks.
bonds or other evidences CT debt, and
the uses to which such moneys have
been put; the cost of maintenance and
operation of all the properties controlled.
managed or operated by the Chesapeake
and Potomac Telephone Company. the
| charges for services made by the Chesa-
peake and Potomac Telephone Company
| in the various fields in which it does
business: the actual cost and tie present
value of the properties of the CheSa Ike
and Potomac Telephone Company used in
1.-THE conduct of it's business for the pub
lie, and the proportion of the company's
| total operating expense and of its CAPT.
| taliZation-in stocks and bondS-charged
to the District of Columbia, and also
| the dividend and interest charges made
against it's District business.
Telephone Company Defended.
"You do not want this body to have
the name of public service baiters,' de-
clared William E. Shannon in reply to
Mr.. Darr. THE only crime that the
| telephone company has done this city, as
far as l can find out, is that it has made
$4,000 In seven years above its expenses
and profits. Surely they are entitled to
| It, They certainly have earned it,
Every man here knows that WASH
1ngton has the finest telephone system in
the United States, if not in the world
Every man here knows that the telephone
company has spent millions it's sys-
tenn TO give you perfect service, and yet
some men in this body would bankrupt
this company If they could
| Henry B. F. Macfarand offered as a
substitute resolution motion that the
| chamber indorse the bill for a public
4
District Commissioners. He declared that
there should be governmental regulation
or public service corporations and that
the way to obtain it was by the enact
ment or such a law and not by the enact
| rnent OF new law every now and then
changing the rates of one or the other of
the public service corporations The hill
was originally drafted by Mr.. Macfar-
iahd Wnen lie was president of the board
Oh District Commissioners
Curtallment Of Right Of Appeal.
committee was appointed IN an
pear before the House Judiciary com
mittee 10 argue against that provision
OF the bill recently passed BY the SEN
ate for the codification of laws which
curtalis the power of appeal to the
United States Supreme Court from the
District Court of Appeals The resoln-
tlon Gaining TOR the appointment of
Such committee was offered by A
lAe1twich Sinclair The following com
mittee was named: Jackson H. Ralston,
chairman: Charles Linkins. Henry &. F.
Macfarland Thomas &. Noyes and
Thomas ". Smith
George Washington Memorial.
Upon the urgent request of Gran
Vile NJ. Hunt, chairman Of the conyen-
tlons committee. the chamber appro-
priated $1,000 its contribution to-
ward the erection OF the George
Washington memorial convention hau
in this city. Mr.. Hunt said that Mrs.
Henry F. Dimock Of New York, presi-
dent OF the George Washington Me
mortal Association. which is back Of
the plan to build the so5OO,OOO conven-
ton hall here. was in Washington and
had informed him that she had already
raised $2oO.0OO in New York city alone
wa ShingtOn'S share is to be $3.50 900
A committee was appointed to appear
before congressional committees to urge
that District per diem employees be
granted the same privileges as to annual
leave and sick leave the otner
employees. The committee is also to urge
upon Congress that the District en-
pioyes be paid twice a month instead of
| at the end of each month as at present.
The chamber adopted a resolution for
members to actively cooperate with the
citizens of Baltimore in their effort TO
obtain the democratic national convention
In 1912. The resolution submitted
by a. Leftw'ch Sinclair
Henry b. F. mcfarland, on behalf OF
the Associated Charities. addressed the
| chamber. telling of the excellent work
which IL being accomplished by the
saniZation.
| On motion Of Joseph Strasburger, chair
man OF the retail trade committee. the
| chamber adopted reso nton asking the
postmaster OF Washington to discontinue
| the delivery of mail on Sunday a the
! post office. In order that the letter
riers may have day of rest.