The Washington herald., 1912-02-09
SUBSTITUTE FOR \
GALLINGER BILL
Senator Works Would Re-
place 1t with 0ldfeId
Utilities Measure.
BARS STOCK INITIATION
District Commissioners Favor the
House Act-Also Urge that
Expense Be Divided.

That the passage OF the public utilities
bill for the District will not take place
Immediately, despite the pleas Of Senators
Pomerene and GalIinger that action or
the measure be as speedy as compatible
with the framing OF good law, was in.
dicated yesterday in the Senate when
Senator Works offered a substitute for
the Gallinger measure. II the substitute
is accepted, It will mean further changes
and recommendations, which would tend
10 delay the passage of such legislation
Senator Works substitute Is, with few
exceptions, identical with. the Oldfeld bill
introduced in the House Accompanyipt
the substitute is n long report from the
District Commissioners, making compar.
isons between the House and Senate bills
ana ending with an Endorsement Of the
Oldheld measure.
Takes CUMMING Hint,
The principal change from the Oldaeld
bill in the amendment Of Senator Work.
is in the section relating to a dep-ecia-
tion fund. This paragraph has been
changed so as to- coincide more strictly
with the ideas of Senator Cummins. who
declared that the GaIIinger bill would al
low Of an imitation Of the capital stock
through the use OF this fund for making
extensions. Senator Works has guarded
against this by changing the sentence.
An moneys in this fund may be expend-
ed in new constructions. extensions. or
additions to the property of such public
uuIity' or invested. and, IL invested. the
income from the Investments shall also
oe carried in the depreciation fund" to
Teao' an moneys in this fund NAV be
expended in keeping the propertv of
such public utility in repair and good and
serNlceabIe condition for the use TO which
II Is devoted, or invested, and, II invest
Other changes in the oIdfeId bill arc
Ihe elimination of the words Common
ahd preferred where they appear in the
paragraph relating 10 the duty of the
commission in ascertainlng the outstand-
ing STOCKS bonds. debentures. and indebt--
Nuness OF utilities; the elimination OF tho
words rates Of interest on such tn-
debtedness" in the same paragraph: the
sodition TO the section ordering a re-
Naiuation OF the property OF utilities at
any Time deemed necessary 10 make N
ead and shall do so at least once every
hNe years. further curtailment of the
language OF paragraph relating to a
depreciation account making such an ac-
count obligatory; striking out a para
graph allowing the employment OF assist
the words including ample seating
capacity for all passengers in the case
OF street railroads, in the section or
dertng the commission to look after and
enforce measures for the safety ana
comfort Of users OF the utility, and a
change in the wording or a paragraph de-
lining restraints placed upon the Com
missioners.
Same ns House Bill.
Outside of these and a few minor
changes, such as the insertion at various
places OF one or two words, not chang
ing materially the sense Of the bill, the
substitute measure is exactly the same as
the OIdheld bill. a copy of that bin be-
ing used as the body for the substitute.
The statement of the District Commits
sioners, accompanying the substitute. de-
clares that there are few substantial a.
ferences between the GalIinger and Old
Held bills. The principal differences are
quoted. II is stated that the CalIiDger
bill provides, in the matter OF valuation
of utilities, that q fair value be as
Certained. The Oldheld bill, in addition
10 this, orders that the investment cost
and cost OF production be learned, there
by being more specific than the Senate
measure although It allows OF more
elasticity.
Respecting the stock and bond issues
Of utilities in the measures, Il is stated
that the House bill has adopted the sec
tion from the Wisconsin law, which is
very specific. The Senate bill, on the
other hand. 1t is declared, is not so spe-
cific, but confers ample power on the
Commissioners TO carry oEt the meaning
of the section
Further, it is stated that the House
bill makes provision for universal trans
fers, which the Senate bill does not. It
is noted, however that Senator GaIIinCer
has introduced separate bill relating
10 transfers which practically covers the
ground contained in the House bill
Want Limit Raised.
Regarding the sections governing the
use of property belonging to one public
utility by another company, it is stated
that the Senate measure places a limit
OF 200 feet on such usage, which is de-
clared TO be wrong. This paragraph, il
is said, will require the redrafting of the
bill, and il it is found necessary to limit
at all the use TO be made of the property
Of one utility by another, it would be
better to place the Limitation at 5000
feet.
The last section OF the oIdheld bill, it
il stated. has no counterpart in the Gal
llnger measure. The House bill directs
the Commissioners in unmistaka Bile terms
to utilize in the interest of the public
all powers conferred upon them, while
at the same time protecting the public
utilities from spoliation. IN this con-
nection, the Commissioners say:
This section appears TO sum up very
well the essential principle Of regulation.
Moreover, 1t may give some not unfair
advantage TO the commission IL the reason
ableness OF any rate It may have fixed
should become a subject of controversy
before a court Of law"
After saying that, in their beliefS this
section materially strengthens the bin, I"
the Commissioners express their disap-
prevail Of the provision that the District
be Saddled with the cost OF maintenance
1f the utilities commission, urging that
The expense be borne half by the Dis
-rict and half by the Federal govern
nent.
About 10000 women are employed by
he French government, and the number
S growing constantly.