Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-03
The INVESTIGATOR BY senate committee Of the

The Investigation by a senate committee Of the
subject OF streetrailway taxation In the District
or Columbia gives special local interest to an arti-
Gle on Municipal Revenue from Street Railways"
by ID. R. Dewey, IN very recent publication OF the
American Economic Association. An analysis OF
the replies made 20 the circulars sent shows that
there are eight different ways OF obtaining special
revenues from such railways in use In American
cities and two indirect methods or securing bene-
nt 70 the public from the prolts of the companies.
These indirect methods are, first, a condition re-
curing the company 10 construct bridges and pave
and keep streets In good repair, by which the city
secures free OF expense no ineonslderabIe amount
OF Improvement upon streets; and, second, the
practice which prevails In Cleveland alone OF SELL
ing periodically the franchise to the company
which viii reduce the fare 10 the lowest rate In
discussing the paving requirement. attention Is
called By Mr.. Dewey 10 the complaint OF the Dis
tr1ct Commissioners in 1885 that Washington
lacks the Baltimore provision requiring the COM
panle IN paving between their tracks and rails TO
use comparatively smooth blocks, either OF gran
lite or asphalt. The first OF the eight direct
methods OF obtaining revenue enumerated is ordf-
nary taxation OF real and personal property in
Guiding the taxation OF stock, occasionally
the road-bed. in exceptional cases the
plant Invested In the rails and, In
San Francisco the franchise itself The
licenses. either according 10 the number OF cars or
10 inside measurement or car length; licenses
from drivers, and general license ON street rail-
ways There Is little difference in principle
between these licensing methods. Car licenses
are the kind In most general use, ranging in
amount from s. so per in Springfield, Illinois,
to $50 in Louisville, Philadelphia and Chicago.
The NTH method, tax on dividends. is, when
levied, state and not a city tax. The sixth
method requires the payment OF a certain per-
centage OF gross receipts or net earnings
into the city treasury. In 1859 the FIRST
street railway Of Baltimore was required to
pay 70 per cent of the gross receipts
for the maintenance OF public parks but
this rate has since been cut down to nine per cent
1t Is said that this the first time that an Amer
lean city awaited Itself OF the value OF such fran
chise, and that as result OF the policy Baltimore
has secured for its park system during the past
ten years an average OF 800 900 per year. In some
cities the payment OF a percentage OF gross
cefpts is in lieu OF all other taxes, and Mr. Dewey
calls attention to the fact that in such cases the
municipality, seeking for special revenue relieves
the railways OF all other burdens. THE STAR has
contended In the same direction that the payment
OF percentage OF gross receipts should not be In
lieu OF all other taxes The experience of Baltimore
shows, also, that the requirement OF the same
percentage from all companies, whether young
or old, and whsther occupying a densely or
sparsely settled section. is by no means just.
The seventh and eighth methods are by the sale
and rental OF the franchises, respectively. New
Orleans has consistently sold such franchises for
municipal pro1t. In 1879 1t received $780, 900 for
the franchises OF three lines for % years. and
there have been many such sales since then. In
1856 nearly one-eighth Of the total expenditures
OF the year was met By che sale OF one OF these
franchises. The law recently passed for New
York, the sales under IL, and the high premiums
last for M of tr-n
have already been brought to the attention
OF the readers OF TIE STAR. The only city
which Is said TO rent such franchises is
Providence, which. in addition TO the customary
taxes, levieS an annual assessment amounting to
5000, as compensation Tor use or rent OF the
streets The amount can be changed at viii, and
the courts have decided that the assessment Is
lawful
The general view OF what American cities have
done in the way OF sharing pubic burdens with
the corporations which they create, furnished by
this article, can hardly fail to supply valuable
suggestions 10 the District legislature.
Since the desperate straits into which New York
city was thrown by the March blizzard. with its
leading streets unlighted and the communication
by wire between its several sections cut OF, a
general demand has been made upon the mayor to
enforce the law requiring the telegraph ana
electric-ghting companies TO put their wires
sTOuIiu last as space could De made Tor
them This demand has been intensified OF late
by several fatalities occurring through careless
hanging Of overhead wires. But Mr. Hewitt who
could wrangle for months over a question OF how
many flags should float from the roof OF the city
hall, hesitates TO take the first step OF ordering
the commissioner or public works 10 send out a
gang OF laborers with axes and picks TO take down
the poles. General Newton, the commissioner is
just the man to execute such an order and Mr.
Hewitt, unless his disposition has changed won
cerfuliy within brief period is just the man TO
issue It. Why 80 much delay has occurred is what
no one can find out.
What the legislature OF New York has done for
the chief city OF that state by giving 1t statute
which IL can enforce whenever its chief executive
orieer sees nc, Congress can certainly do for the
capital city of the nation. The unsightly poles are
increasing In number In our streets, and now and
then making themselves more obnoxious than
ever by Invading private premises. Every wire
now strung on them should go into an under
ground conduit, and one day this will be done
Congress and the corporations are only postponing
the Inevitable: and the sooner the public voice Is
Needed the less Will be the labor and expense in
VOWED IN the change.
The current number OF Harper's Weekly finds,
nrst, that the Ohio republican platform fore
casts the national republican platform, ana.
second, that the Ohio platform contains
no allusion TO civil-service reform. and
upon these findings IL lifts up IT'S voice
against "the utter hypocrisy and hoIlowness OF
republican comments upon the Presidents course
In respect TO reform OF the civil service Evidently
IL viii not do for those republicans who make no
reform pledges TO express any sympathy with