The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-22
WAITS INFORMATION,
And Thinks the Party to Furnish 1t
Is the Car Company.

WAITS INFORMATION,
And Thinks the Party to Furnish 1t
Is the Car Company.
To the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal:
If the present street-railroad discussion
and a true account of the late push" at
Tomlinson Hall could be got together 1t
would make a formidable volume. The en-
abling act of the last Legislature would, of
course, stand FOR the preface, and the offer
of the new company, in large type, would
serve for the text, while the body OF. the
book could be sweled to any bulk desired.
1t seems, up to this time, nothing has been
accomplished but bad beginning, and, If
things run on in their present course,
things bad begun will make worse them
selves by ILL.," Nor is it possible TO come to
a just agreement profitable alike to both
parties unless, indeed, they who are In au-
thority have more light on the subject than
is given to the average citizen. The kindly
advice seems to be: DO not fret, or stew,
or worry, or get in the push put your
faith In the proper authorities and rest as
sured they will do the very best thing.
The average citizen is not so sure about
this. He does not know by what light their
hands are guided He does not think the
CITY fathers OF To-Day are NlScl VI lilOiS
honest than were the city fathers OF thirty
years ago. They have more light, Ii Is true
but this light is all ablaZe in the rear. There
Is no more lght ahead now man enefe was Of
the marvellous growth OF their presumptu-
Gus village; no conception or the uunty OF
wizard mechanism. They lived mostly WITH
in the mile square, bat they wished to live
beyond the governments imaginary wall
There was much land and forest trees be-
yond, and they looked upon the patient mule
a al " xphn wv
ing and evening. Besides, 1t was possible
the forest trees must come down ana give
way to houses, streets and boulevards' ana
this land be increased in value one nun
dred fold. 1t was for this they were friend
ly to the mule and eXtoled his owners as
beneficent and public-spirited citizens. But
the mule with the tinkling bell, passed
away, and with the mule all friendly re-
gard for the street-car company. Its own
ers no longer stand for the public good
They are looked upon as tricksterS ana ron
bers of the poor, whose only aim is TO get
all they can and give as little as they must
This amazing change In pubic sentime eint
patient mule. There was no uncertainty
about him as motive power. we knew
what it cost to buy him and what IL cost 10
keep him; we knew what he could 90, ana
how much he could pull under the lash; and
how far-reaching was his lift. Passed ana
patient mule! What a connecting INK OF
peace and good will! With the mule as pole
star labor and capital worked on in friend
ly accord and lay down together But ABOUT
his successor We do not know so mucn,
hardly anything, indeed, save that, py tne
ignorant, it is to be let severely alone rms
ignorance is the cause OF much dlStenper
and bad blood. The mule, for all the abuse
heaped upon him in the old days Is getting
even with us. We cast the thing we knew
aside. and. instead, have got some unknown
thing, and just what it can do. or VIII be
made to do next, we do not know Nothing
but downright Ignorance could nave
brought about such change OF heart from
the friendliness of colaborers TO distrust
.ss.l,N fNn trnA r
ance could have brought about the push
last Thursday night in town meeting. Inc
old company Is, in great measure, TO be
blamed for this, and. unless IT chooses 70
show the true situation Ii may expect
greater and more violent pushes In the
future.
motive power can do in the future; perhaps
no company could tell that and the wizard
thing won't answer but hefors any G0n s 6e
known what 1t did yesterday and last year,
and for the last five years. This, the present
company could tell TO the hundredth part
1t knows absolutely what ii cost to carry
passenger last year, and how many IT car
ried. Like all capitalists, it must take &C
count profits. viz, interest, rent and wear
and tear. The present company has never
counted rent as liability. Interest and wear
and tear alone have stood between its mel
profits and it's dividends. Now, however, II
much rent? Who can tell? VIII the vivit
| this satisfactorily to the company or intelli
gently for the city? This is poor place fol
the imagination. Facts are needed-harC
matter of facts galvanized facts. and al
| these needed facts are in possession or th'
company.
Again, the town meeting, backed by stat
| ute demands Scent fares. What facts were
| submitted to the Legislature two. years age
| to. show that the company, could do thii
| thing? And what facts are before the towr
| meeting to show that ii can be done now?
The average citizen is intent that no wrons
| shall be done, that the company shall b'
| fairly dealt with, and that the city shall
| suffer no injury, and to this end facts anC
| figures are a much safer guide than tn,
| heated imagination of any town meeting.
The statute permits the city to enter inter II int
| greater leap in the dark than the OLE
| fathers attempted. We won't all be here a
| the limit. What of that? Cars will 81
| through the streets all the same for the far
| awful period for any contract to run upol
| terms and conditions as we now know them
| Any contract acceptable to the company vii
| be profitable one for to-day. The compan!
| agination so heated in town meeting or else
| where as to be able to count the profits upoi
| such a contract thirty-fOur years hence
| The past decade growth of this city of 7
| per cent. forbids one to think of it. Afte
| all, the period of the contract Is not as i'm
| portant as the conditions of the contract
| Let the contract run for thirty-four year
| or for fifty years IL the State will permit
| only provide for open books and new adjust
| ments every five or seven years. With pc
| riodical adjustments under the contract /
| matters little the limit of 1t. These adjust
| mentS strictly provided for, Scent or 2-cen
| fares would surely follow, and would no
| that be the best rent the company could pa,
| for the streets, and would 1t not prove tn
| most advantageous to the greatest humble
| to the city? ]. NJ. WINTERS.