Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-04-20

49, l-------a-- % p il r. i
The CincSnnati street RaIIroads' :,
Il will be admitted without question ". tnA' :
the public accommodation should govern ."e
whole matter of grants and regulanonS w. y
street railways and that the pHop. 49, =
dation is best served by tbe largvs. ,aV''o0 ,o'
at the lowest cost to the pcople' "in liNe"ise
be conceded by all. But uniess the puoilo
is as well servea py nlgn as
by low fares, IL has not been kept cnisily IN
view in the grants whlcn nave beeh hneoo W
our city railwayss hsery passsngus nov
pays to the city one cent eacn eipc 'or .,'
privilege OF riding IN runway eats Oh ,ns
highways OF the city We are aware 'l,S
this was regarded IS p trisnte paid py the
railway companies TO the pubic, anu III su
nature ofa sharp bargain ior inc c,sN oo' 4
the companies can mucn oet.er "hoiu wv
duce the passenger fare by the amount they
pay the city, than to collect 1t ana pay 10
the city, so that the sharp bargain is en-
tirely at the expense OF oT own ci'lhehs' anu
of the public accommodation. ~ $50 @
As to the legality OF thus tax, wne'ner " Is
constructively regarded as upon tne people
or upon the Companies, u seems 10 US tna'
there can be no serious quesuon, "netner
viewed as special ane unequal taAa'ion' OF Us
restriction upon the use OIL highways
Whenever contested to the ultimate 'riounais'
it will be oyerthrown- But this Involves ex-
pensive and protracted litigation, ana PROB
ably will not be undertaken until the STOCK
has changed hands SO as to retire rom the
management those who made this contract
with the city, as they will naturally have
reluctance to enter into a contest which VIII
bear the appearance ofrepudiating contract
which they so recently solicited. The best
use which the City Council can make of its
dubious right to receive one cent for every
passenger carried, is to make it the means OF
securing that amount Of reduction in the
fare, thus using their public trust to provide
the largest public accommodation.
There may be some who regard the differ
ence between four and fve-cent fares, or be-
tween three and four cents in tickets by
packages, as matter of no consequence, but
with ninety-nine out of every hundred per-
sons in this city it will make difference in
their use Of the cars; not. probably, on any
particular occasion, but in the frequency Of
their use, and in the shorter distances for
which they would be used at lower fares.
Most of those who use the cars from their
residences to their places Of business, have
occasion to use them six times day; but
this amounts to a heavy tax, and will, Of
course, be habitually avoided as often as con-
venient, both by arrangement of meals, so as
to reduce the occasions, or by walking when
ever the weather permits. Similar eircum-
stances affect all classes OF community. All
would make more frequent use OF this great
public convenience at reduced price. 1t is
probable that u reduction Of twenty-five per
cent. in the fare (Which is the rate of the city
tax on tickets sold by packages OF twenty
fve,) would increase the travel in these cars
in the same ratio. 1t seems to us that refec-
tion will convince any person OF tins; and Il
this should be the case, the public accommo
dation would be served just twenty-five pc
cent. better than it is now; and that Is tn
amount OF accommodation which the publ
are now deprived OF by the action OF thel
own City Cohncii, IN leVylng TINS ilegai an
unjust tax; and the Council will to Just tina
extent, stand in the way OF the pubic conve
nience, so long as they neglect to apply til
remedy and remove this obstacle.
This tax operates, as we have shown, as
burden both on the peopleand on the railwa
companies. 1t imposes low fares on the com
panies, but deprives them OF the increase
business that low fares would bring, by max
ing them twenty-five per cent higher 10 III
people. To the companies 1t is an onero'
burden, hard bargain. Viewed simply as
tax on them, without regard to legality,
probably should be taken Of Nogood shoul
be desired at the cost OF the capital stock
these companies, and it is for the public IL
terest that their income should be such as
instigate them to keep their facilities In u
best condition, and increase them as puoi
convenience demands. But If the reducti'
of the city tribute from the price offare shou
increase the travel in the degree suppose
that would make the difference between
business done at the cost OF the stock, and
profitable one; thus equity would be done
the companies, and the public convenien
served in every respect.
o,a;dorod q, a., 80, a