Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-05
COUNCIL MUST COME TO
TERMS WITH MAYOR ON GAS
Mr.. Moore's Position on the Gas oues-
ton Is Economically Sound and
Politically lmpreanable


VIRTUALLY every reason which Mayor
Moore assigned for vetoing the Hall gas
ordinance applies to the ordinance intro
duced in City Council yesterday afternoon
by Councilman Weglein
Mr.. Weglein offered, along with his ordi-
nance, a resolution providing for the ap-
pointment of committee TO confer with the
Mayor, the gas company and others on the
terms of new or modified gas lease. He
asked that both the resolution and ordinance
be adopted or that both be killed.
If they were both adopted the forces
which have been seeking to relieve the gas
company and to postpone indefinitely any
revision Of the lease would be in a position
to have their way. The ordinance would
give TO the gas company twelve and one half
cents a thousand feet more than It Is now
receiving, or about 80 900, 900 a year, and
would ease it's financial necessities. The
councilmanc conference committee, which
would represent the majority which passed
the ordnance-if it should be passed-would
then be in position to block any agreement
for new terms with the gas company, and
the negotiations would amount to nothing.
Councilman Weglen processes to be WILL
ing to agree with the Mayors proposal to
negotiate, but he ties up his agreement with
conditions which would remove from one of
The only busnesslike thing to do at this
time is to adopt the recommendation of the
Mayor that there be a conference in good
faith between the gas company on the one
hand and a committee of Council. the City
Solicitor and the Gas Commission on the
other hand, In order to reach an agreement
the terms under which the gas company
shall continue to operate the gas works.
This agreement can be reached inside of
two or three months If there is any disposi-
tion to find a way out. The gas company
ia not In such dire straits that it cannot do
business successfully for two or three months
longer. And the interests Of the city are so
great that they should not be surrendered
by any hasty and unconsidered action such
as the passage of the Weglein ordinance.
That ordinance Is INTENDED solely to re-
Eepe the gas company.
II takes no account of the Interests OF the
people.
1t cannot be said in It's defense that It
Is based on any calculated estimate of the
extent of the relief which the company needs.
1t is the result Of q guess.
Council was created not to protect the
gas company or any other company doing
business with or in the city at the expense
of the people. 1t is theoretically, the board
Of directors Of a great business corporation
known as the City Of Philadelphia.
The people who are the shareholders In
the corporation, have right to look to
Council for the protection of their property
in the gas works and for insuring the sale
to them Of gas at a reasonable price. But
Councils gas majority has not yet shown
any disposition to- perform these proper
functions.
The Hall ordinance, as the Mayor pointed
out when he vetoed It, could have been re-
present Council remained In office The
Weglein ordinance could be perpetuated in
the same way.
The veto Of the Hall ordinance was not
over ridden for various reasons, one Of
which Is that the Mayor must be reCkoued
with in any dealings with the gas company.
He has certain powers which the Council
cannot take from him.
The Weglein ordinance, tied up with a
resolution for the appointment of COM
mittee, Is an attempt TO do In another way
what Council failed to do when 1t first tried
But there Is no reason to suppose that the
Mayor would approve the Weglein plan to
increase the earnings Of the gas company.
Council must sooner or later follow the
lead Of the Mayor In this business because
the Mayor IL right. He knows the history
of previous gas negotiations and what the
feeling Of the public Is. He has not for
gotten the dramatic episode of the ropes In
the gallery Of the Council chamber ready
for the men who we're trying to sell out the
people He Is aware that the effective re
form organization of 1908 in this city grew
out Of the Indignation of the people at the
dealings of the politicians with the gas
company. Consequently he is aware that
while his position is morally and economi
cally sound, 1t Is politically imprrgnable.
Under the circumstances, II can be only
a matter OF time when the Council comes
around to the Mayors way of thinking