The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-13
THE LET TER CARRIERS.


AS might have been expected, when a
committee from the letter-carriers re-
quested the Supervisors to compel the
Market-street Railway Company to obey
the law and transport them free when in
the discharge of their duties, the Supervi-
sors blandly refused to interfere. The
communication presented by the carriers
stated the case thus:
1.-The Market-street Railway Company
refuse to abide by the law passed by the
Legislature and signed by the Governor
February q, 1893, relative to letter-carriers
riding free on street railway cars, and also
the law passed by the Board of Supervisors
compelling all street railway companies to
allow letter-carriers to ride free of charge
while on duty. The carriers have been
thinking of making a test case. At the
same time it would involve great expense
upon US which we feel would not be just,
as the Market-street Company is violating
the law"
Supervisor Hughes facetiously asked
why the letter-carriers did not force the
company to obey the law, and they prop
erly answered that the railway combine is
not easily forced to do anything. The SUI
pervisors decided to do nothing.
At the same time the railway combine
cheerfully transports policemen and fire.
men without any compelling for the rea-
son that it owns property which they can
protect. That is they carry free those
public servants who can be of benefit to
them, but require those to pay who do not
serve them. Its own convenience, not that
of the public, is the main concern. And
yet no service would be more highly appre-
ciated by the public than the prompt de-
livery of the mails. The company might
argue that if the Federal Government de-
sires to expedite the work of the carriers
it could easily afford carfare, and that the
railway combine is under no obligation in
the premises This argument can have no
effect in view of these considerations: That
it is not the policy of the Government to
pay carfare for the carriers nor the desire
of the people that the Government should
do so; that in this matter there is tacit
cooperation between the Government and
those cities enjoying free delivery, and
that the municipalities of the country, in
part consideration of the great value of The
railway franchises which they grant, re-
quire the benefciaries to transport letter
carriers free. For that matter it is rare
that any such municipal regulation is
made, for the reason that it is generally
made unnecessary by the willingness Of
the railway companies to transport car.
riers free, as very important public con-
venience.
No such considerations have ever been
known to affect the conduct of the Southern
Pacific Company and its branch enter.
prises. Not only was a State law neces-
sary in attempting to force the company
to perform public service that would not
cripple its revenues Gas carriers cannot af-
ford to ride if they must pay, but this was
backed by municipal law to the same
effect. Both of these laws the company
refuses to obey, probably contending that
they were intended to affect only those
franchises granted after the passage of the
laws. In any event. with that unfailine
meanness which animates its whole bear
ing toward the public, it ignores the law
and withholds public benefit, the grant
ing of which would cost nothing.
If these laws are enforcible they should
be put in operation. In any event, the
Market-street Railway Company should
not be permitted the sole privilege of con-
,k