Morning journal and courier., 1883-08-11
Paris Cabmen.


 In Paris they have 8 singular way of re. warding some cabnen in order to encourage the rest. They are rewarded for their hon esty and the instances of this virtue, popu- larly reputed to be rare one, are more nu merous than would be supposed. The ten dency of humanity to forget umbrellas in cabs is not confined to our own capital. Last year 27, 7,0OO 'lost objects'' were brought to the police office and restored to their owners In France they do not tax national careless ness by allowing the restoring cabmen to levy an ad valorem duty on forgotten prop erty. Our own system works admirably. The cabman is taught to be honest, and his fare to be careful. The Paris system shows less method, and larger faith in the integ rity of drivers. But, still, that honesty is not without it's reward. Private individuals have from time to time left legacies for this purpose, which amount now to a considers ble sum- and the income of this sum is dis tributed among 'the most honest.p This | idagment of Paris is annually prouounced. and recorded with great emphasis. The can didates include the whole tribe of omnibus conductors, and in addition to voted rewards there is honorable mention. This year three-and twenty honest cabmen got l 600 | francs between them; and thirty others,
 whose integrity was remarkable but not quite up to tho level of monetary recogni- tion have been honorably mentioned On the whole the fund SC ems to have been judi ciousIy applied and the first prizeman, who received two hundred francs, has cause to be convinced of the truth of Q popular adage
 And yet in Paris, no less than in London, there is great dissatisfaction with the race of cabmen. In the teeth of all these prizes and of these 27,00O restored objects, 1t is said that they are not an honest class, and that they are not civil class ;. that they hapitual ly ask more than their fare have 8 great deal of loose impotence ready to discharge against customers who give the legal recom- pense and that alone. The truth is that in Paris cochers form 8 class to themselves. There is strong suggestion of our insular beer and beef about them. Their build Is strong, their complexions are rubicund, their manners independent, their phraseology de- fcient neither in variety nor strength Their faith in the exciting influences of blasphemy upon horsefesh is almost an instinct, and they occasionally extend to their rivals what they ought to reserve for their cattle. But then the whole system is different from ours The cabs of Paris are divided among several companies who exercise more control over their drivers than would be possible in Lon don. We have gradually drifted into sys tenn which is now all bat general. capital ist owns 8 large number of cabs and very large number of horses, and lets out at 8 fixed price per diem part of this property to a driver, who may pocket all that he makes over and above the minimum sum If he pays the rent and conforms to the police reg ulations, the capitalist is satisfied French rules are more complex and the results more satisfactory. The rules show. that desire for method which belongs to foreign regulations, an which is supposed in this country to in tarfere with vested interests Thus the three or four companies are distinguished by the color and build of their vehicles, and by the uniform of the drivers.
 The rule that the lamps of each vehicle oh halOnOS tn north south, east west of the city is adopted by all the different companies The traveller arriving at station selects that vehicle whose color shows that it's owner chiefly plies in the selected district. Here is a rule which we might we'll adopt. The Par is companies, moreover, seek to exercise a control over their drivers, for the advantages of which the Londo1er has no equivalent If one of our cabmen is grossly insolent, he may, indeed, b- summoned before magls trate; but this involves an intolerable loss of time and publicity from which many indf- vidusls shrink There is hut this one reme- dy, and it is curious to see how dainty peo pie are in it's exercise In Paris the ag grieved persoE, over and above his remedy before the police authorities, may lodge with the company complaint, which It's officers are sure to take notice of. Whether the London cabmen deserve the hard names applied to them, it is clear that the general public would benefit if there were some ad- ditional control It has been pointed out in these columns how hopeless is the position of Londoner who seeks to engage a cab to take him by an early train on the morrow The drivers make agreement over night and breaks it in the morning without fear of consequence. Such conduct would be pun ished in Paris without the trouble or expense of litigation. Here there would be both, with doubtful issue.
 The three or four companies represent by far the larger proportion of the Paris cab ownership, but there are very considerable number of privateers. It Is computed that as many as ten thousand private cabs ply for hire in the Paris streets. These men consti- ute in themselves singular class. They are recruited from the black sheep of a capi tai which has necessarily many naGuuais sujets Statistics have just been issued giv- ing very singular details as to this race of priests, ruined bankers broken-down cooks ont of employment, dishonest notaries out | of prison. The licensing laws are not so rigorous as with us, and it needs but small capital to start third-rate Paris cab. Inese are the ten thousand who bring d1scredIe on all the others-the men whose vehicles are 1 pondeross, whose cattle are hslf-starved, the men who are insolent extortlonate and dls honest You have no control over them, ex cspt through the intervention of the police and, in word, they enjoy the immunities which our defective system gives to the whole class of London cabmen.
 Joseph P. Williams, at one time secretary of the New York Providence and Boston