Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-30
WHO'LL GET THE NICKEL?

now 81 thousand cubic feet. OF this
amount the U. G. I. takes eighty cents
and twenty cents is turned into the city
treasury. This mean that every person
who uses gas is taxed 20 per cent for
che privilege Of so doing.
On the first Of January next under the
terms CT the contract between the city
end the company, the latter will receive
but seventy-five cents a thousand cubic
feet for it's product
We have attempted to discover what
.he administration proposes to do in these
circumstances. We wanted to know If
the reduction of five cents a thousand
cubic feet would be given the people or
II the administration proposed simply to
put the extra nickel in the treasury and
shus increase the infamous gas tax from
c5 per cent to 33 1-3 per cent. There
syAs such holy indignation expressed at
the thought that possibly a few cents
might be added to the tax rate some
years hence on account of transit that
we expected to see even more holy indig-
nation at the suggestion of keeping the
poor mans nickel away from him. Gas
being a necessity of life, as lived in the
reduce the price to the consumer would
bs seized on with avidity by the gentle
.nen who conduct our finances. But their
Indignation is all the other way. For
heavens sake, don't mention gas" we
gre told. I'VE need the money and we
want to put this thing over quietly.
There'll be kick If you say anything"
Yes, there will be kick. and it is going
to be the kind Of kick that lands. We may
not be able to get eighty-cent gas, be-
cause political inefficiency of administra-
tion eats up public funds and the imperial
revenue of the municipality appears to be
insufficient to provide for proper conduct
OF the city's affairs and contractors
profits also. but we are going to get
ninety -five-cent gas. and we are going to
q
dence results from belief that buncoing
Of the people has been going on long
enough to open their eyes. With their
eyes open they will stand for this mulct-
ing process about ten minutes. COM
munity which did not demand and take
this fve-cent reduction for its own ad.
vantage would be dastardly community,
unworthy Of respect, because it would
have no respect for itself
Nor are the 1eremaids Of political
nnanciers based on solid grounds. We
are not far wrong in predicting that the
net return to the city under ninety-fve-
cent gas would be equal to the amount
now got under one-dollar gas, owing to
( larger consumption under the lower rate.
Il is mere stubbornness to assume that a
financial loss would result from the re-
auction. Not that we feel the community
should be satisfied with ninety-fve-cent
9as 1t is proposed only as an abso-
lutte maximum. in the belief that the full
nickel reduction at least should go to the
people; but a still lower rate would be en-
tirely Justified and doubtless the company
would join with the city in sharing the
y cost of further lessening Of price. But
whether that happens or not. the people
must get. from the first Of January on
(, ~ fun benefit of the reduction provided
.z!6nr IN their interest by contract years ago
One way to be sure of getting 1t is to
y 1<fnss to vote this fall for any candidate
h ~ Councils who does not pledge him.
~ Absolutely and without equivocation
q y favor of passing the five-cent reduction
- 10 the people. The candidate who re-
No. to do that is not peoples candi-
N1s. He 10 an equivocator and shuffier
r1ns . game. and is champion OF
oIax rights by mouth only.
Ro&s Tor NO Councilman this fall UNI
~ vcsss for you. He votes for yor
~ votes to Give you at least a
>ont reduction in gas rates. and HI
ninnt you when he doesn't
~