The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-10
Capper Declares He VIII Seek
New Gas Action.
"OnIy Thing State Can DO" is
His Stated Reason.
MASS MEETING OF UNIONS
Industrial Council Members
Saturday Evening.
HThirty-F Five Cent Gas Won't
Work Hardship''-J. W. Kelley.

Governor Capper announced TINS
afternoon that he will ask S. NJ. Brew
ster, attorney general, to bring suit to
dismiss the Kansas Natural Gas com
pany receivership unless the new mini
mum rate be reduced. The matter
will be taken up with the attorney
general when he returns from a trip
to Troy.
Aroused because of the 100 per cent
increase in the minimum rate for gas,
Governor Capper today declared that
drastic action would be taken to curb
the gas company. The action contem-
plated by the governor would mean a
motion to dismiss the suits now pend
ing before Judge Flannelly in Mont
gomery county. The action means a
step toward formal dismissal of the
receivership.
Recently John NJ. Landon, receiver
for the gas company, announced that
the minimum rate for gas would be
increased from so cents to 81 a month.
The flat rate for gas would also be
increased from % cents to 35 cents
thousand feet This action was taken
under a ruling of the federal court
when the gas company provided a
bond to protect patrons against a gas
rate raise.
1
thing the state can do in the gas case
said Governor Capper. Mr.. Brewster
no is at his home, will return to To-
pcka in few days and I will put the
matter up to him..
Call Mass Meeting.
Thousands of bills and placards an
nouncing a public mass meeting over
the hike in gas prices. to be held Sat
urday evening on Capitol square. will
be distributed over town tomorrow.
The meeting will be called under the
auspices of the Topeka Industrial
council, according to Frank Brown
president-elect of the council. ''-'
The Industrial council will probably
endeavor to form a Citizens Protect
i've league al the time and ways and
means to head off the increase in price
will be determined upon Wen known
TOpekans will be invited to lay their
solutions before the public at the
meeting.
THE Industrial council favors the
means used in similar situation in
Joplin, Mo-. Frank Brown said to-
day. There, as a result of a mass
meeting, every citizen paid at the rate
stipulated by the original charter there
and refused to pay more The gas
company came down from its high
price perch.
Il believe similar means would be
effective here. II not Iet people have
the gas taken out of their homes The
utilities commission says it will be
only n few years anyway until we
have TO accustom ourselves to doing
without natural gas
The Industrial Council will meet to-
morrow night to fix definitely the
plans for the meeting.
No Hardship. Says Kelley.
''Thirty-five cent gas is not going
to work hardship on the public if
they get the gas. l don't think the
public is going to complain about it
The dollar minimum, of course, is a
different thing. It is too high and
works hardship on the small con-
sumer. When a public utility uses a
meter system in furnishing gas 1 be-
heve the public should pay for Just
what it gets and no more"
That was the way J. Will Kelley
secretary of the Commercial club.
summed up the gas situation today
Mr. Kelley said the Commercial
club has not yet taken action on the
gas controversy. Several months apo
the board of directors, Mr.. Kelley
pointed out, went on record in urging
the public utilities commission 10 in
crease the price of gas so the Kansas
Natural would be able to furnish
plenty of it.
The board of directors may tske
some action on the matter in their
next meeting. Mr. Kelley said 'rhev
probably will condemn the dollar min
1murn. ready to serve charge
Business men on Kansas avenue
have expressed themselves IN favor Of
35-cent gas providing of course the
Kansas Natural will furnish the gas
which the merchants believe will be
done as the raise is sufficient. if is
said, to allow expenditures necsssa ~,
fol increased distribution.
Tne dollar minimuni charge is voted
too nigh by the majority because of
the small consumer. A 35-cent rate
ano oO-cent minimum, it is PORTED
out, would not be toe high