The Washington herald., 1912-03-09
UTILITIES BILL
CAUSES WRANGLE
Senator GalliDger's Attempt
to Get Vote Fails After
All-day Debate.
CAR COMPANIES RAPED


utilities bill. during which Senator Gal
linger thrice urged that an immediate
vote be taken, the Senate adjourned
late yesterday afternoon without de-
Gliding whether IT would adopt the
measure drawn up by the chairman OF
the District Committee or the substitute
offered by Senator Works, of Califor-
mia.
The failure of the Upper House to
vote was the result OF Senator Works
protest at the conclusion Of debate
that quorum was not present.
An effort was then made by Senator
Galllnger to have a time set to-day for
the vote upon the two measures. II
was at first agreed that votes would
be taken upon the Works amendment,
and the Gallinger bill. but Senator
Bristow later gave notice that other
members of the Senate had amend
ments to propose and he was not GER
tain" whether these could all be voted
on to-day.
Discussion Lasts All Day.
What was expected to be a short
discussion of the merits of the Works
amendment (replica of a bill intro
duced in the House by Representative
Oldheld), developed into an all-day
Oliver, Reed, and Pomerene took part.
The argument finally centered upon
sections 1918 of the Works amend
ment, restricting the issuance of stocks
and bonds by public service corpora
tions. This matter, in the Gallinger
bill. is left to the discretion of the
public utilities commission.
In demanding that the three sections
Of the Works amendment be read into
the Gallinger bill. Senators Pomerene and
Reed strongly indicated their belief that
the common carrier corporations of
Washington needed investigation. They
declared that until a public utilities
commission had determined whether the
stock OF Washington street car COM
panies was "watered," It would be i'm
possible to determine what a fair rate
of charge for service was. If the is
suance OF stock was unreasonable and
was apparently made so that the profits
OF the corporation might not appear eX-
orbitant. Senators Reed and Pomerene
believed that a check should be put
upon it.
To indicate a need for investigation
Senator Pomerene, reading from a news
paper clipping, stated that the Capital
Traction Company, with twenty-eight
miles of track, is capitalized at a rate
of 1855, ,675 per mile, and the Washington
Railway and Electric Company with
eighty-three miles of track, is capitalized
at S336,z5O per mile. The proposed pub
lie utilities commission, concluded Mr..
Pomerene. should be authorized to de-
termine authorItatively whether the rate
Of capitalization was excessive.
Senator Gallinger, by stating that he
believed in leaving these matters in q
measure TO the officials OF the two COM
panies. whom he characterized as ''men
with q strong sense OF civic PRIDE in
Reed Grows Sarcastic.
While I do not wish to reflect on the
gentlemen" said Senator Reed, 'I would
like to say that in great companies like
this a man will sometimes let his civic
pride become so involved in questions of
profit and loss that the community at
large will suffer-
Senator Reed added that the street car
companies of Washington should not be
allowed TO enter their franchises as an
asset upon which stock might be issued.
There is nothing more abhorrent," he
declared, TO a sense of justice than that
a corporation operating on the streets
Of a city should tax the people for their
free gift to it
Senator Oliver, while expressing his be-
lief that all legislation OF the kind sug-
Eested was unnecessary, urged that If
the Senate adopted either bill It would
accept the Gallinger measure. The law
governing the control of public service
corporations, said Senator Oliver, should
not be made so strict that men of money
would be discouraged from investing capi-
tai in this city. In concluding Senator
Oliver mentioned that his telephone in
this city cost 30 per cent less than the
one installed in his home in Pittsburg, Pa
Senator Works read from the reports
OF the Commissioners to show that while
ha Co
as remedying the present situation 'in a |
general way" they had lent their un-
qualified support to the Oldfield bill Chis
amendment, and had urged that the !
former measure be changed to meet the !
requirements of the latter measure.
Works and GaIIinger Clash.
At the conclusion of debate there was |
a brisk interchange between Senators !
Gallinger and Works, when the former |
remarked that the latter had never urged |
his substitute bill during committee meet
ings, but had waited until the District |
Committee had acted.
The Senator from California" said
Senator Gallinger, has had opportunity
to bring up these amendments before, but
did not do So
The Senator from New Hamshire ought
not to say that, 1 haven't given due con-
sideration and attention to this BILL" re-
torted Senator Works, ''for next to him.
self have given it more study than any
member Of the committee. 1 was not
present when the pending bill was adopt
ed, and the Senator knows it,
Senator Gallinger then remarked that
he did not think the Senator from Cali
fornia had been treated either discourte-
ously or unfairly by the committee.
Debate concluded at o'clock. The
Senate will convene at noon to-day.
Appraisal of Hartman Estate.
Newburg, N. Y, March s-Notice has
been served nn all intoroSt..a 49,. A.. | !,