The Washington herald., 1911-02-15
TURBULENT SESSION
OF COMMERCE BODY
Continued from Page One.

rates here are higher than in other cities,
and contended that the charges are too
high.
W. Z. Shannon said the whole mat
ter should be laid on the table, as the
Chamber did not want to earn the repu-
tation OF being corporation baiters. lie
maintained that the service in the Dis
trict is the best underground separate
exchange that is to be found anywhere
in the country, and that the telephone
company. that had spent millions of its
money TO give Washington good serv-
ice, ought to be protected. He said
also that the criticisms showed mar
row point of-view, and that ii all looked
as though there was an effort to ruin
the company. John II. Magruder, a
heavy user of telephones, said he is sat
isfied with his service and his bills.
In a Ringing speech.
H. B. F. Macfarland, in a ringing
speech. turned the whole matter from a
Congressional investigation into a reso-
luton to support heartily the bill now
before Congress providing for a public
service commission for the District thai
would regulate not only the telephone
company, but the gas, the electric light,
street railway companies, and every
service corporation III lne DlS-
trict. This bill had been advocated by
the Commissioners for years. and had
now received the Endorsement of Presi-
dent Taft in its present form before
Congress. This measure would be a
permanent control. and would provide
the elasticity and fiexibility that chang
ing conditions most needed. His sug
gestion went through. despite the ap-
peal of Mr.. Darr to get the invesuga-
ton.
Joseph Strasburger moved a resolution
that by its passage caused letter to be
sent to the postmaster advocating closing
the city post-Office on Sunday, so far as
the work of carriers only is concerned.
ID. S. Porter presented the report that
favored the raising Of the pay of govern
ment employees % l-3 per cent The reso-
luton urged a square deal for the gov
ernment employees. and persistence on the
part of the Chamber until the matter is
carried through. The report and the reso-
luton were ordered to be transmitted to
the Appropriations COMMITTEE Of the
House and the Senate, and also to each
member of the Senate District Commit
tee.
Chaplin Brown, chairman OF the muni-
cipal Legislation committee, called on Jo-
Seph l. Weller, from the subcommittee
on the bill now before Congress, in which
the rights Of citizens in land in the Dis
trict is mcnaced, who reported that op-
position to the measure has been ad-
vOcated. Another subject was that in
charge Of George G. Gertman's subcom-
mittee, which favored that District en-
ployes who are paid by the day should
have the same siCk-leave rights as those
paid by the year. A resolution of in
dOrsement was carried
Mr.. Gertman reported on the matter
of paying the District employees twice
a month. as are the employees Of the
Federal government, and a resolution
urging this matter upon the Commission
ers was carried unanimously.
Granville NJ. Hunt asked that the
Chamber grant 5000 to head the SUBJ
scripdon TO the George Washington
Memorial Hall In seconding this. D. J.
Kaufman said he renewed his offer to
give $1,000 personally to this fund, il
forty-nine others could be found to give
a like amount. He wanted to be able
to pay his inside of sixty days.
Told of the Work.
H. B. F. Macfarland. representing the
Associated Charities, told Of the work
this organization is doing. and while
making no direct appeal for funds to
carry on the work. excited deep interest
3iHohS Ihe meihoers OF tne Sndrnoer
by his graphic description of the methods
and efficiency of the body.
A. Leftwich Sinclair called attention to
the bill now before Congress which robs
citizens of the District of all right to ap-
peal from the Supreme Court of the Dis
trict to the United States Supreme Court,
where judgment without costs, exceeds
5000. Five members were appointed to
protest against the passage of the bill.
The committee appointed to take up the
matter of twice-a-month pay for teachers
and other District employees is COM
posed Of Jackson H. Ralston, G. G. Lin
coin, H. B. F. Macfarland, Thomas c.
Noyes, and John w. Smith.