South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-03-31
ARE MAYORS KELLER AND GAYLOR
TRYING TO SIDESTEP GAS CASE?

Mayor Keller quite right if reported to his
mass meeting of "always-presents Tuesday night,
gas company had the nerve TO offer TO reduce
rates five cent and he turned them down. Not
ONLY that but his story goes, this enormously
duced proposed, effective for
two years. II will be interesting doubt when the
time hear, possible, what OF com
promise proposition the gas company will make to the
mass meters" committee be appointed by Mayors
Keller and Gaylor and long it will be before their
report will be available.
The mass" meeting was enormous success,-with
emphasis the enormous. twenty-five from South
Bend and Mishawaka attended most of them members
of the city administrations Administration
there sixty, but letting them their
evidently the public growing wise the nonsensical
Standardization involved in such sessions. the
mayors auspices. Sixty is surely "mass"-from
cities of a combined population of SO.OOO.-but
tsat is the merits of what is of the
larger importance.
The public that has been camorng for reduced gas
years, is almost the question
Hhy the meeting turned into a vehicle of delay?
this compromise committee intended hasten
tiers. 10 retard matters? We remember that the
electric COMPANY through its henchmen, including its
lawyers adopts voicing about town wild
Of how easy IL would have been settle electric
WITHOUT going 20 the public service commission and it
may he at this committee has been thought necessary
20 put check the dissemination of that line
Of bunk 10y the same lawyers. and pretty much the
same henGhuen representing the gas magnates We
do net know. of course. for very much outside
the mayors inner circle. and only guess but be
as i may. the mayor ought have had enough
perience by this time know that the he Will
take exactly what the commission allows him. and no
more. and that these invented stories Of rendered
auctions viii go just the
There is reason. with the citys petition filed be-
the commission nearly years why the
should ret at least pretty nearly ready for hear
rathef than the stage of gallery play
mass meetings 1t ought TO have been easy have
reached the agreement TO the division expense
between the two cities a year or more we'll as
now, same done with Elkhart in the electric
case. For unknown reason the gas has been
delayed Manpulstors the gas magnates have been
able keep the thing sdetracked until almost
bound wonder If public forced the
mayors Ia find excuse for longer delay somewhere and
the mass meeting and that
end The committee. to least resemble nothing
nearer than many shoulders to shift responsibility
10. further a delay which already
come quite intoerabe.
In electric case the mayors OF South Bend and
Elkhar supported by their city attorneys specially
employed engineers. the bat, results more
less satisfactory the public. comparatively
carly result. Why outside citizen" committee in
the case? Ordinarily would say the mayor,
not weary in weu-doing" or has sdesteppng this
long promoted by the magnates. become
such a habit with him that il is WEAKNESS but
Willingness south the gas case tried
possible OF IT, and this regard
less the consultations and per
mitted by the commission which may. may not. be
causing ths fussing
may "a light. and probably does. and that
hard for everybody that the local gas
pany infinitely hoggsh the earth. has good
and that after years Of legislative man
Ipuatons through hired lobbyists mountains OF gold
and rivers Of champagne t is not going to give
20 graft IL b. help H. II is fight. however
that can be made and with the right quality