The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-21
PROMISE AND PERFORMANCE.

PROMISE AND PERFORMANCE.
When the City Council gave the street
railway company q virtual monopoly of the
streets 1t was claimed that the extraor-
binary grant was made for the purpose
OF securing 10 Savannah a better street
car service. It was the general impress
sion at the time the Surprising conces-
sions were granted that the alderman had
made mistake; but great predictions of
benefit 70 come were made, and in that
spirit of patience which Is characteristic
OF our conservative citizens the people
have waited TO see what would come out
OF the railway company's promises and the
City Councils beautiful faith in those
promises.
A period of year and a half has now
elapsed since the concessions and the
promises were made. ana the people are
able to see what has been done, and what
has not been done. by the company to-
wards fulfilling its promises and by the
city authorities in requiring the company
to live up 70 the conditions" imposed by
Council.
There have been some changes made by
the company, it is true. Tracks have been
taken up, lines have been curtailed, sched-
ues have been made inconvenient, COM
bination non-connecung transfers have
been instituted, etc, but 1t is questionable
If these things would be called Improve
ments'' even by the aldermen who voted
to give the railway company all it want
ed. and let the city take whatever it could
get.
It might be asserted that there has been
practically an entire disregard by the com
pany of all of its promises respecting an
improved service. Not a new car has
been added to the equipment, but open cars
have been run at night in freezing weather
when the driving wind dashed rain upon
all who were so unfortunate as to have
to depend upon the street cars for trans
portation. No permanent extension of the
area served by cars has been made, but
on the other hand the area has been CON
siderably reduced. In former times I'm
extra car was run for The accornmoda-
ton Of the fish and oyster sellers coming
In by the suburban lines; now these un-
washed workers and their wares ere
brought in on the regular car. and ladies
and children must ride with them, or walk
Business men who are obliged 10 hurry
! down town in early morning hours are
graclously permitted to hang on to straps
| in these fish cars. or tam themselves on
the platforms, or walk. For the past two
Gays the Whitaker-Barnard line has been
out of order, apparently because OF defec-
tive electrical connections, and the alb
| sence of rapid transit on the line has been
such as would have delighted the soul
Of Mr. Edward Hyde.
The city Council that made the present
condition of affairs possible should be-
fore it goes out of office, do something TO
make it's street railway friends perform
what they promised and give Savannah
an improved street car service" The
| people at present seem to be helpless If
any of them complain, they are called
enemies of the railway company and sore
| heads, and no attention is paid to them
| If no Complaints were made 1t would be
| said, "the people are eminently pleased
they have no fault to find" In so far as
| matters stand between the company and
the people, it seems to be an illustration
| of the old adage that those who beg do
not deserve anything, and those who do
not beg do not want anything" But The
people do want something; and it is the
duty of the City Council to get it for
them.