The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-07-08
ATTORNEY ANSWERS
CRITICISM ON THE
GAS PROPOSITION
Says Public Utility Law Will
Not Be Adjudged Un-
constitutional.
CONTAINS SAFEGUARDS
Wants All Citizens to Co.
s.-Operate to Obtain For
ty-Cent Gas.
CONTAINS SAFEGUARDS

Answering criticisms made about
the manner in which the city officials
and members of the public service cor
poration committee of the Commercial
Club have taken up the proposed fran
chise with the Allegheny gas company.
William A. Bond. city attorney, made
public a statement today, in which he
declared that he and others had done
their best towards securing a good
agreement with the company. The city
attorney says that the tentative form
in which the proposed contract now
stands represents the best that they
have been able to obtain.
In reply to the statement of Alfred
Bavis, which appeared in the Palla-
dunn last evening, Mr.. Bond asserts
that there is little reason to believe
that the public utilities law will be
adjudged unconstitutional. He says
there is but one phase about the law
which lawyers can have any doubt and
that this phase would not affect this
matter.
Statement of Attorney.
The statement in full is appended:
'It is extremely easy to criticise the
official acts of others, and just criti-
cism followed by some reasonable and
proper method which will obviate the
matters complained about. is always
proper; but mere criticism without any
proposed remedy is of little avail. 1t
is very easy task to sit in ones home
or office and philosophize upon the
terms and conditions of contract
about to be made and there to deter
mine all the conditions which should
be embraced therein, or to mentally
speculate upon the price which some
one else should receive for his proper
ty, but not so easy oftentimes to get
the other party to the contract to
agree to all such conditions.
Some years ago heard an aged man
say that he could sit at home and
make some very excellent horse
trades, but t-wlrm-hs-ssw the other fel-
low it was quite different. And this is
the way the city officials and men,
bers of the Public Service Committee
of the Commercial Club, who have had
this gas question under consideration
for many weeks, have found matters.
Carefully Considered.
All of those who have had part in
the consideration of a contract with
the Allegheny Gas Company, have con-
sidered fully and carefully every sub
ject mentioned by Mr.. Bavis, as well
as many others which he has not men,
toned, and the tentative form in which
this contract now stands represents
the best that we have been able to OBJ
tain. Would you rather not have forty
cent gas with more than 1900 British
thermal units per cubic foot, than to
accept this contract? This it seems to
me is the question which the people
of this city must answer.
This contract will be published in
full in both our papers and every citi-
zen should carefully consider the same,
tract and not simply parts thereof
should receive attention. "
Buy Only That Needed.
There is absolutely no merit in the
suggestion that if the City becomes a
purchaser it would have to buy back
what it gives, for in such event it
would buy only that property which
is used and useful for the convenience
of the public.
1t is likewise in my opinion delving
into the realm of ingenious specula-
ton to attempt to picture the direful
results that might follow if the public
utility law shall be adjudged uncon-
stitutional. There is only one phase of
lCnntiuuad ON pape Thrael