The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-28
Why ID the Law Not Enforcedq
One of the surest means of preventing
extortion by hackmen is the strict en-
foronmant of fha foIlou;no lou of tb;s o;t1,.

extortion by hackmen is the strict en-
forccment of the following law of this city:
S 8, Every owner and driver of a licensed We.
hice carrying passengers for hire shall at all times
keep fixed and posted, right side up inside OF the
same, so as to be most conveniently seen and read
of the owner, containing the prices rates of fare
allowed by this ordinance, and the name Of the
owner and driver of such vehicle, and the number
of the license thereof.
s 9. Any owner or driver of any vehicle carry
ing passengers for hire, for abreach of any Of the
provisions of this ordinance shall be fined not less
than five or more than fifty dollars and the license
Of the of such vehicle may be revoked by the
court, or by the mayor in his discretion,
And yet not one of the hacks licensed
by the city has been required to obey the
above provision this year. And the fault
is wholly with the city marshal. When
enquiries were first made as to why the
law was not enforced, it was answered that
no cards had been furnished by the city
and that the hackmen claim that the pro-
vision was impracticable.
1t is not trne that no cards have been
furnished, The city clerk says that
printed card as required by law, has
been handed to every hackmau with his
license, with directions how and where to
put it up in his hack,-so that no hackman
can avoid fine on that plea,
1t is not true that the law is impractical
BILE. The proGrietors claim that they can
not keep the name of the driver on the
card because they have different drivers in
the day time from the night, and often
change drivers. That plea is too thin, -
and is only an excuse for aiding robbery
The city can furnish half a dozen
cards for every hack if wanted.
or as many as are wanted-one for
every driver. And when driver is dis
charged and new one employed the name
of the new man can be pasted over the
name of the discharged man.
The cards should be hung with tape on
a hook above the back seat in plain view as
required by iaw-and should be changed
when the drivers are changed-one for day
use and one fer night, if two drivers are
employed to one hack.
The law was made for the protection Of
the public and the police are paid for see
ing that it is strictly and rigidly enforced
A stranger, without this law. is at thu
IN Grey of any robber who happens to have
charge Of hack, and he has no way t
bring him to justice or to report him, fol
he does not know who to report,-nor doe'
he know what the legal rates of fare arc
He is completely at the'mercy of the robbie
who happens to have charge of the haci
for the moment
The law is reasonable, right, proper an,
practicable, and every hack should be ex
n amined by every policeman who come
near one. to see if the card is in its prope
y place, and the driver should be constautl
arrested if the card is missing or in
+ wrong position, Citizens should also re
, port to the police magistrate all cases Of
violation of the law. The ARGUS will pul
= sue the subject till the law is enforced.