66 Stevenson, E. H., and Burstal, E. K. Precedents in Private Stewart, J. E. "Electric Traction." Incorporated Municipal Electrical Assn., 1898. Sillar, A. R. "Free Wiring and Supply on the Prepayment System." Incorporated Municipal Electrical Assn., 1905. Storer, S. B. "The Sale and Measurement of Electric Power." Street Railway Association of New York State, 1906. "Supply of Gas for Light and Power at Glasgow." Journal of Gas Lighting, Vol. 58, p. 126. Taite, C. D. I. "Street Lighting by Electricity." 1897. 2. 'Notes on the Distribution of Electricity." Incorporated Municipal Electrical Assn. "The Public and the Price of Gas." Journal of Gas Lighting. Vol. 76, p. 20. "The Retention of the Power Business." Journal of Gas Lighting, Sept. 12, 1905, page 670. "The Sliding Scale Provisions." Also an editorial on p. 215, Re Massachusetts Committee's Report, 1906. Journal of Gas Lighting, April 24, 1906, p. 222. Turner, Mathias E. "Graded Costs of Electric Supply.' Ohio Electric Light Assn., 1904. Tuttle, W. B. "Readiness to Serve Method of Selling Gas." Ohio Gas Light Assn. Cincinnati, March 23, 1906. Valon, A. "Differential Prices." Journal of Gas Lighting, Vol. 92, p. 672. Vesey Brown, C. S. "Electricity Works for Small Towns." 1900. Incorporated Municipal Electrical Assn. Von Oechelhaeuser, W. Differential Rates for Gas." Progressive Age, Vol. 19, p. 361. Amer. Gas. Lt. Editorial, Journal Wallis, L. B. "The Foresee (4 C) System of Charging." Nat. Elec. Light Assn. Niagara Falls, May 21, 1901. Warner, W. J. "Incidence of Commercial Charge in the Selling Price of Gas." The Institution of Gas Engineers, England, 1881. Webber, W. H. Y. Considerations Respecting Selling Price of Gas." Gas World, Vol. 43, p. 1015. Williams, C. H. "Central Station Engineering." Wisconsin Engineer, April, 1905. Wilmshurst, T. P. 1. "Electric Meters," 1899. 2. "Electric Motors." 1900. Incorporated Municipal Electrical Assn. Woodhall, H. "Differential Charges for Gas." The Institute of Gas Engineers, England, 1888. Woodall, H. "Differential Charges for Gas." Gas Institute Transactions, Year 1888, p. 116. Journal of Gas Lighting, 1888. Gas World, 1888. Wright, Arthur. Municipal Electrical Assn. 1896. Wright, Arthur. "Cost of Electricity Supply." Municipal Electrical Assn., England, 1896. Wright, Arthur. "Profitable Extension of Electricity Supply National Elec. Light Assn., Niagara Falls, Stations." June 9, 1897. Wright, Arthur. "Some Principles Underlying the Profitable Sale of Electricity." Institution of Electrical Engineers, England. MR. W. H. GARDINER, JR: I would like to add one word in conclusion. When this work was undertaken I opened up correspondence with the secretaries of, I think, all of the gas associations, and all of the electrical associations of this country, Great Britain and Ireland, and I want to say just one word as to the hearty co-operation that I received in the work, both in this country and from very many gentlemen in England, and notably so, for instance, from Mr. Helps, of Croyden, England. He wrote me a ten or fifteen page letter, which was a very valuable contribution indeed on the general rate situation in England. I mention his among many valuable contributions from England merely because his name happens to come to my mind. Another thing, many of these gentlemen in answering requests for papers and information on rates, have asked that a copy of the report be sent them when it is published, simply for the bibliography contained therein. The bibliographic part of the report contains some 215 references to rates, and also contains quite a large number of references to legal opinions and decisions on the rate question. These gentlemen who have co-operated in making up this report would like a copy of it. THE PRESIDENT: Gentlemen, you have heard the reading of this report. It is a very valuable contribution to our work, and we would be glad to have as free a discussion on this most important subject as possible. We would be glad to hear from the other members of the committee. Is Mr. McLean in the room? MR. D. MCDONALD, Louisville: Mr. President, it is suggested that this matter be left to the committee. It seems to me that this matter brings up the whole question of the relation of the gas company to the public and to the authorities, because when you come to fixing rates you find that you are hedged around with legal restrictions, and sometimes with constitutional restrictions. I, therefore, make a motion for the appointment of a committee, and for the reference of this subject to that committee. I make the motion in this form, Mr. President: That the incoming President of this Institute be requested to appoint a committee of seven members to be known as the "Public Policy Committee," this committee to be charged with the consideration of all matters relating to the relations of gas companies to their patrons, and to the public authorities. Motion seconded. MR. SHELTON: That being seconded, Mr. President, I should like to say that I do not want to be appointed on that committee. MR. D. McDONALD, Louisville: I did not contemplate you, Mr. Shelton. So you need borrow no trouble on that account. (Laughter.) MR. SHELTON: It seems to me, Mr. President, that that Committee is charged with a tremendous undertaking if they are to report on "all questions of public policy," and, furthermore, I sort of hate to see this increase in the number of committees. It seems to me that we have about enough of them now. It seems to me that we had better try to hold down the number of them, unless we have some specific work for a committee to do. It would seem to my mind, Mr. President, that such a committee would of necessity have to work on very general lines, and before any such motion is approved, I should like to hear it discussed further, and to have some information given us as to what it is specifically proposed to have the committee do. MR. D. McDONALD, Louisville: In answer to that, Mr. President, I have only to say that I have used this paper as the occasion and not as the cause of making this motion. In the fifty states, or in nearly every one of them, the authorities are considering, more or less all the time, matters which are directly affecting our business. Now, my idea is that this industry ought to have an organization through which it can speak, at least through which it can speak to its own members, and can instruct them as to what is to their interest. An organization that can point out bad laws, and can point to states which have adopted better laws. If there is any committee or body in this Association which has been given such a duty to perform, then I will withdraw this motion. If there is not, then I insist upon it, because I think we ought to be able to act as a unit and to act intelligently in regard to many of these matters which are coming up, and which are of very vital importance to the gas industry. THE PRESIDENT: Gentlemen, you have heard the motion, or the resolution offered by Mr. McDonald. Are there any remarks? MR. W. H. GARDINER, JR.: Mr. Chairman, the question has been raised, as I understand it, as to whether there was a definite fixed field of action to be left to such a committee. It seems to me that there most assuredly is, and I would like to mention as among the subjects which might be spoken of off-hand such topics as the question of taxation, the question of rate regulation, the entire question of government control. These are items of critical and even vital importance to the industry we represent. I think such a committee, if it were a live committee, and composed of strong, able, broadminded men, could work in that field, and theirs would be a work of very great value to the gas industry. MR. SHELTON: Mr. Chairman, I do not wish to be understood or construed as underrating for one minute the importance of this subject, but by referring "all questions of public policy" to a single committee is certainly going to impose on that committee a mass of work and a mass of responsibility that is scarcely fair to expect a single committee to cope with. The questions are so diverse that it would require many committees in order to give them adequate consideration, and it all leads up, after all, into the broad question of the work of the Institute. Mr. Gardiner is right in saying that these questions which he speaks of are all important questions which have only been partially met heretofore, but my thought is that a single committee is an insufficient tool to meet all these questions. It comes right back, as it seems to me, into a question of policy. We had better settle first the ways and means by which the expanding work of the Institute is to be taken care of whether it is to be divided into different departments. Among these, one which he mentions would fall into the department of a legal nature. The question of taxes is really of that nature, and the question of rates is in that same category. At any rate, before this is voted on, I should like to hear what the duties of that committee are to be so that we can get that a little more clearly in mind. MR. MCDONALD, Louisville: My point is to have an organization which can have these matters before it. That knows when |