The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-02-13
GUILTY OF LIBEL.
The Journal" Confesses to
Having Wantonly Ma
1lgned the Traction
Company.
WHEREFORE THE CHANGE or HEART?
"A Recantation Which Is Also a
Coincidence -"There Are Near
ly Always Two Sides to
Any Story"
WHEREFORE THE CHANGE or HEART?
you ars oId. Father wIlliam. the young rnan

In my youth, Father William replied to his
feared it might injure my brain;
But now that I'm perfectly sure have none,
do it, and do it again.
R'rom the Evening Journal of yester-
day)
The Evening Journal has kept a
pretty sharp observation of the troll
ley company's work in this city, and has
not been sparing in it's criticisms OF any
shortcomings or faults. We have deem
ed this due to the public, whose patron
age sustains the company's enterprise,
and to the city which granted to the
company it's valuable privileges in using
our public streets for their transporta.
time entertained any hostile feeling to-
ward the trolley company nor desired
in any way to ernbarrass their efforts
to give the people what is so much need
ed and desired, rapid transit in street
travel
The journal earnestly favored and ad-
vocated the coming of the electric motor
car system, and we are very glad 1T has
taken the place of the old, slow, horse
car method of getting along. 1t is. with
all it's faults and dangers, vast i'm
provement on the old system; it does ''get
there" and speedily, and its capacity for
hauling load is apparently almost with
out limit
We have not intended to be unjust or
hypercritical in our structures on the
they have been so, in some instances.
Our information in relation to the opera,
ton of the road, the relations between
the company and it's employees. and the
various details and incidents Of the BUSH
ness, has come from many sources,
SOME OF THEM PERHAPS NOT AL
WAYS ENTIRELY RELIABLE There
are nearly always two sides to any story
which gives room or occasion for any
controversy, and justice requires that
both sides be impartially heard. To
illustrate: we published several weeks
ago list Of the alleged grievances OF
the trolley employees and Of their de-
mands on the company, and we repub-
lished the same matter this week. ac-
companied by statement which came
from the employees that no attention had
been paid to these complaints and de-
mands.
But, per contra, we are assured by the
mana gers of the trolley company that
many in fact most, of these complaints
have been duly considered by them, and
that all the demands that were deemed
reasonable, or where compliance with
them is practicable, have been met. 1t
IS stated that the employees are not re-
quired to be at work more than ten
hours in any of. the twelve in which
their services are due to the company;
that the regular employees do get the
rate of wages they demanded; that
the employees are not held response
Bile for damage to the cars when they
are not to blame for the accident that
caused the damage; and that any ag-
grieved employe can secure a fair hear
ing from the officers of the company
when he has real cause of complaint.
Assuming that these statements are
true. it seems that the company is real
ly doing much that it is claimed if
ought to do, and is trying to render the
public good service. It cannot. of course.
accomplish impossibilities. and it ought
not to be asked to grant unreasonable
demands. and some OF the demands in
cluded in the published list are not reas-
onabie for instance no employe could
assent to a rule which would require
him to give any employe whom he dis
charges, twenty-four hours notice of in
tent to dispense with his services; the
company could not allow the employees
10 eiatate to it who shah or shall not
be olaployed by it; norftss it reasonable
IS a.. tAa III c1n.slasts = any partic--
lar department of work shall be paid
the same wages without regard to their
capacity and eff ency. We refer to
these facts and Statements to show
that the trolley company not only can.
but has a right to. make a showing for
itself.
We must also presume that if the COM
pany chose it could make a pretty strong
showing sometimes of reasons why it IS
dissatisfied with the conduct of some
of its employees; it would be very singu-
lar if in so large number of employees
as this company has there were not some
who are inefficient. shirking or dishonest,
We are for fair play in this business all
round; by and for the trolley company,
its employees and the public whose needs
and. expenditures must be the basis of
any successful system of rapid transit.
If Your Raby Is Cutting Teeth
Be sure and use the old and well tried remedy.