The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-23

q CITY OK 90. 100 penpse- ~ a low 81
tisrxz.e the cara affected by the strike
carry 5ose9 people every day and Dot
Irnprota5sy tsro Or three times snsaL
number. except On Sundays. The sEsszi
aver that they began the strike on
Sunday 80 that less people wuzld oe
Inconvenience by the tte-up- Il has
been and still continues 20 be most
serious interruption to ordinary travel
and trade, ard without taking I'D
consideration the loss os time 90 tae
nsen and the less OF revenue 70 the
companies. Is of vast pablEc damage
and Inconvenience. Besides these
losses, which are direct taxes upon the
patience and yr,ckess OF the pubic. the
expense Of calling out additional police
and the employment Of . large militia
force 10 preserve order and protect
property Is very heavy.
This brings up the question-the main
question after alI-which arose during
the great tie-up on franScontinenta
lines under Debs' orders last summer.
What rights have the people. the sen-
eral public, these not parties 10 the
dispute. in this matter? It - no small
matter 10 stop 8 business upon which
80 many people depend for transporta-
ton 10 and from tireir places OF bust
ness and winch has become an actual
irons. Street cars ara means for pub
lie use. They are as much so as are
other forms OF public transportation
While the companies constructing and
operating them are not given so great
power as the larger corporations oper-
atflg long lines OF travel. they are.
however. exteTAie<. favors and granted
rights not given the individual citizen.
Franchises under which they operate
are made to cover use OF public streets
lines and also - some extent OF other
means Of locosnosion. These franchises
are usually for long terms. and the
history of street car lines shows that
In the main they have been extremely
profitable. especially in the larger and
prosperous cities.
From these franchises dulles evolve.
and they are usually made part of the
charter Itself. These are mainly TO run
their cars at certain hours of day and
night. 10 maintain the portion OF the
streets used In proper condition and
nU to charge more than a fixed sum
for a single passage. Failure 10 ceEn-
ply with. these and other minor require
mersts Is usually made legal cause for
forfeiture Of franchise.
Obviously then. IL Is the duty Of the
companies to operate their lines, and
ssssssre exists no legal right to interfere.
Moreover, Ut is undoubtedly the legal
right OF the companies 10 employ such
labor and upon such terms as in the
Judgment OF their officers will best
serve their own interests while COM
plying with the franchise stipulalions.
But Is II a legal right of any corpora
sion chartered to psrform public duty
TO force upon the public such an in
convenience as that now being endured
by the citizens OF Brooklyn. when by
a compromise In which mutual con-
cessions can be made the trouble can
be at least postponed until other per-
haps more satisfactory arrangements
can be arrived al? This is question
In which there is involved, be It OBJ
served. not merely the relations OF a
corporation TO its employees, but one
fFxzsx asxf x-s1 stz l.s%r-
10 the pubic at large. whom Il has
undertaken 10 serve In consideration
Of certain privileges granted and pay
meslt OF stipulated fare. There are
arguments on both sides Of this ques-
ton. 1t Is a problem pressing for soiu-
ton in this country. 1t Is patent, We
think. that property Will be protected
TO the utmost by all forces known in
cur government. 1t Is also manifest
that these frequent conflicts between
employees and corporation employers
engaged in public service are rapidly
adding to the number OF those VINO
see no final re4netiy except by public
ownership. control and management of
means of transportation. not only In
municipalities. bat state and interstate
facilities for travel and trafHc.
In short. the general public. from
whom are derived the powers and privi-
leges accorded corporations engaged in
public carriage and who are called up
on not only To provide the revenue on
which they saEhsise. but TO protect their
property from damage and destruction
and reimburse them II IL fail TO do so.
Is gruwfag impatient at the frequent
conflicts which arise between the off,
GERS who cc-sTol and the men whose
labor operates these public means Of
travel and commerce, and the delay.
trouble and disorder which are the os,.-
growth Of these differences. Unless
such corporations can invent some
method whereby such matters NAV be
settled without 50 great pubR, incon-
venience. there Is likelihood that IN the
NOT distant future the people win them
selves take the matter II hand for
settlement.
Judge DALLAS q the r'nEfnsf States ~sr-