Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-01
TROLLEY MEN SMILE,
They Seem Confident of Winning
in Congress.
THREATENING THE CITY STREETS
Looking Hopefully to the Nations
Legislators.
REASONS FOR THEIR FAITH.

No political canvass has ever been man
aged with more system and skill than the
campaign which has been conducted by the
| trolley people in this city. Their work has
been done SO well that today. though menu
bers Of new Congress have not even be-
gun TO arrive here in any numbers. yet the
confidence Of those who favor trolley legis-
lation Is as serene and unfaltering as If the
legislative body of this great republic was
hotnlns more than mere registering ma
cnlhe 1or the purpose of putting into leg
islative shape various matters that had al
ready been blocked out. In this case 1t ap-
pears to be taken for granted that the dis
cussion will be of no avail the desires and
wishes of the people of the District will
nave no weight. that, in fact, nothing will
stand In the way Of the process of incor-
porating into laws the plans Of the trolley
people
Ihose who represent the trolley influence
speak as IL trolley legislation was already
an accomplished fact Perhaps it is blur.
but at the same time 1t should be borne in
mlnd that during the first session Of the
thSo,sh tas. Johsress resolution was rushed
politan Railroad Company the privilege Of
pottlng up wires along their line. This
action was a surprise to the people Of
washington, and IL the Senate had not in
terposed nothing would have saved this
city from the trolley. 1t is argued that IL
success was once so nearly attained that
II Is considered that the representatives of
the trolley interest are on the floor of Com
sress ready to grasp the first opportunity
TO do their work 1t need not be so surpris-
Ing after all that the trolley people are
looking forward to the coming session Of
Congress with good deal of satisfaction
as well confidence
Opposition In Congress
However. they will not be able to carry
out their plans without struggle. 1t is
likely that many members Of Congress
will be unwilling to turn this cityover to the
control OF a railroad combine when they
hnd that 1t Is impossible to keep within
their control a single railroad corporation.
They have a sample OF congressional i'm
OF the Metropolitan road. Three years ago
THIS corporation was directed by law to
chahge It's motive power, and to day 1t Is
about as near change as IT was then. 1t
has refused to pay uebt in the teeth Of a
mandatory resolution OF Congress, and
with suits threatening its corporate ex-
istence its directory Is sturbed and
calm What control has Congress over cor
porations in this city,
IhlS Is a pertinent question inst at
nresent. especially in view of the fact that
the greater privilege that legislative body
can grant a railroad corporation is to be
oefnarded of Congress at this coming ses-
sion, Some people are disposed to be len
lent with the trolley under the mistaken
impression that IL at any time in tha
future II should be found advisable a
Change could readily be made. BY what
process this privilege could be wrested
would be difficult question to answer
For the first time perhaps In their corpor-
ate existence the railroad companies will
II is said present to Congress a solid front
on the trolley question. There are to DE
heard no discordant voices. Every corpor-
ate Tongue has been tuned to unison They
upon to defend the privilege against a
proposition to take 1t away. 1t will be
easier to prevent the entrance of the trolley
into the city than to drive it out when ii
has once been admitted
1t is possible that Congress enraSed by
the disregard which has been shown in its
WISHES Will make an effort to enact some
stern legislation and will try to regain some
hold upon its own creatures. However the
railroads want expansive legislation rather
tnan measures which will contract their
powers This Is what they propose to have
and IT remains to be seen whether they will
get get what % they want: They have influence
them are the rights and interests of the
people Of this city. 1t is believed that the
gress, although the trolley men are going
into the fight with entire confidence that
they win win.
An Interesting Contest.
The contest promises to be one Of the
most Interesting that has ever been fought
before the committees and on the floor of
Congress The financial questions and the
Issues raised by the tariff are great nation
al questions that will come before the pres
ent session. but the grave question that
anects more directly the interests of the
people of the District Is whether the rail-
road combine Is to triumph and is to sad
Ole upon this city a system of street car
locomotion which Is confessedly unsatis-
factory and defective, merely on the spe-
cious plea that the condition of the science
does not offer anything better. This city
waited for its electric lights because Of the
W 1nWiliinGness of the public to see the streets |
disfgured and lives endangered by having
the wires strung along overhead The re-
suit was that the corporations, finding that
they could not use the cheaper methods. |
aoopteo the system of putting the wires |
under ground
Today other cities are vainly trying to |
get rid Of the nuisance and the danger of |
lne overhead system. The same plea was |
made then as now, that the wires could not |
work under ground. but 1t was found that |
Ihey worked all right when the corporations
we're compelled to place them under ground.
once let the companies understand that the |
,roiiey, as far as this city Is concerned.
8 an impossibility, and II Will be found that
there are other practicable methods of per
'uading street cars to move along. There
ire two other methods already in successful
operation In this city, and IL it were not
.or the fact that the trolley is the cheapest
orm or street car locomotion known there
would be no effort made to introduce it.
In other words the fight for the trolley
s selfish fight. There is money for the
projectors. but there is not a cent for the
people or the city of Washington. If the
rolley is to come it would be better for the
,ity to take control Of the roads and turn
ne tremendous profits into the treasury of
ne city. Instead Of that 1T is proposed to
srant a privilege to lot of capitalists in
'roer tnat they can make easily and with
'ut much risk pot Of money.