The Washington times., 1912-04-21
UTILITIES BILL PASSES THE Sc ENATE.

II the Democratic leadership in the House is
half as skillfu it ought to be to justify it in offer
ing two candidates for the Presidency, it will now
recognize that there can be no more nonsense about
the District public utilities bill The Republican
Senate has shaped up an excellent measure and
passed it.
Will the Democrats in the House do as we'll?
Mr.. Chairman Johnson with his captious objec-
ticns his incapacity to deal with the real problems
Of large city, his assumption that he is so honest
that he dare not ndorse anything that any other
man approves lest it may contain joker-if Mr.
Johnson is permitted to have his way, there will prob
ably be no legislation, even yet. If matters turn out
that way the Democratic House will have permitted
a mistake whose gravity will be made entirely appar-
ent before the end of the years campaign.
This issue has now got so big that it will not do
to trust the eccentric head of the House committee
to play ducks and brakes with it, 1t is an affair in
which the whole Democratic party is acutely con-
cerned The CHEEKY contempt which Chairman John
has entertained for the interests Of Washington
must not now be permitted to deprive the Democratic
House of this opportunity to make good" The
chairman unless he displays proper disposition for
once to do business and get results will have to be
taken in hand by his party managers and made to
understand that it is up to him to perform. The
party is concerned to make that neither his fears
of other mems honesty nor his peculiar conception
of the dignity of his place as chairman, now be
allowed to stand in the way Of passing this
The Senate bill is on the whole an excellent piece
of legislation 1t gives the District Commissioners,
serving as a utilities commission ample powers to
control the public service instruments of the town.
Its provisions against overcapitazaton are supple
mened by effective provisions for physical valuation
of the various properties. Senator Cummins insisted
that all this must be strengthened by the prohibition
of capitazing surplus This is absolutely essential
and represents long step toward real control that
will place rates and charges a reasonable basis.
When a public service company accumuates a sur
plus out Of its earnings invests that surplus in exten-
sons or improvements and then issues capitalization
against it, the corporation is simply making the
public pay twice for the Improvements. This is a
favorite way of png up the burden of capitalization.
1t makes adequate regulation of rates utterly i'm
possible. There is no more important provision in
the measure than the one which prohibits this per-
formance.
At the beginning of the session it was commonly
supposed that the House would readily enough pass
a good bill. The Senate was supposed to be the
danger spot AS matters have turned out the Senate
has proved willing to the public interest
than the House; and the lies in the unaccount-
able indisposition of Chairman Johnson to do busi-
ness.
The people charged with the real responsibility
for the Democratic Houses record must now take
Mr.. Johnson in hand and cause him to act