The Washington herald., 1912-06-07
Once More the Gas COntrOvsrsy.

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Considering the low figure at which
the citizens of a number of other lead
ing cities are able to buy their iHumi-
mating gas, the contention of the at
toneys of both the Washington and
the Georgetown Gaslight companies
that if legislation should compel them
to reduce the present price to Is cents
per 1000 cubic feet, this same legisla-
tioR- also should reduce the tax upon
the gross receipts, which is now 5 per
cent thereof, because the tax imposed
upon the electric company here was
lower The right way to get over such
a difficulty would be to equalize the tax
on both these concerns and make them
uniform by adding to the levy upon the
Electric Light people.
We are and always have been of the
opinion that by uniting the Washing
ton and Georgetown companies in toto,
the desired result to give the consumer
cheaper gas could De easily obtained.
This would not impose more territory
upon the Georgetown concern nor upon
the Washington company, both Of
whose mains and pipe lines are well de-
fined. while ii would do away with a
double set of officials, managers, direc-
tors, agents, and cost of production by
larger, hence cheaper, purchases.
The argument Of the attorneys Of
both concerns before the hearing Of
the House subcommittee in which Con-
gresham Madden of Illinois took so
leading a part on behalf of the con-
sumer, that by compelling their conf
panies by law to reduce the price to
Is cents, lower candlepower gas would
have to be substituted did not appear
TO worry the legislative proberS mas
much as lower candlepower means the
manufacture of more coal gas and less
danger from carbon monoxide poison
ing.
Let us follow the example of Cleve-
land, Boston, Kansas City, and num-
Der of other cities and come down at
least to a 75 cent basis. The conf
panies will not be the losers, when all
IS considered and a cost-cheapening
union is effected As Congress is
bound to accomplish this reduction, why
not give in with good grace, instead
of hiding beneath the excuse that owing
TO the absence from the city of Presi-
dent Letter. of the Washington COM
pany, no data could be furnished as to
the cost of manufacturing gas. Mr.
Leiter-who. by the way, has held down
the presidential chair only since Mr.
John R. Mclean resigned last winter
could have been reached easily if the
company meant to further, instead of
delaying, the popular request for
cheaper gas 1t IS bound to come, lobby
or no lobby, becaus, the Investigators
seem satisfied that there will be enough
profit left for the stockholders to divide,
even at Is cents.
The action at the meeting of the di-
Tcctors of the Georgetown company,
who refused to let the Washington
company vote, despite the fact that the
latter owns thirty shares more than
majority of stock, caused only a pass
ing ripple among well-posted citizens.
though how the boilers mean to uphold
this action in court, should it go that
far. is not so easily understood, espe-
cially in the light of past events. Only
last year the Georgetown company was
glad of having the Washington company
vote to pass an issue Of a million dol
lars in bonds. Everything pertaining
to that loan and other leading measures
has been voted for and carried with the
aid of Washington. Now this sudden
change. Does it portend an attempt to
compel the bigger concern to buy out
the smaller? Or does the. smaller wish
to make bid for the larger company?
Whatever there is in the wind this
action will be one more task for
the subcommittee on cheaper gas or
for Representative Madden to ascertain
before the next hearing.