Sunday Washington globe., 1902-06-29

turning loose
the world, as It were, of so many tabled
hens to lay golden eggs for intelligent
thinkers or to be killed like so many hawks
by fools blind to their own interests. / will
now read the article, listen to It and YOU
Will never forget his sound reasoning and
strong argument in favor of ten car tickets
for twenty-five cents
With the bringing Of distant places near
in the point of time by electrical railways
there is a crying demand for cheaper car
fare to meet the changed conditions that
confronts US, conditions not unlike those
that led to a reduction in mail rates a few
years ago. AT that time there was nothing
upon which to base our conclusions that the
lower rate would increase the revenues and
benefit the public, but judgment based up
on shrewd business qualifications that made
clear the advantages Of the lower rates. With
regard to decrease on letter postage from
three to two cents Senator remarked that
the contention that two cents would bring
in more revenue than three cents was as
foolish as to claim that three-legged table
could stand better upon two legs. But the
great question was would the lower rates
SO increase mail matter as to enable the de-
partment to handle il more prohtably than
$50
higher rate The proposition was purely
business one, that was practically illustrated
in every factory throughout the world by
every day experience that taught them the
larger the order for any particular kind of
wares the cheaper they could be maru-
factured To persons having this practical
experience the advantages for the lower
rates were clear The benefits derived from
the lower rates are beyond calculation. The
increase in the revenues that followed the
reduction, the extension of the free delivery
system to cities where before it was not
thought Of much less hoped for and won
derful improvements along other lines in
the mail service are too we'll known to need
repeating here.
Now note the similarity in the conditions
that make the demand for cheaper
car fare possible and just. Rapid transit
has opened the way for many to escape the
turmoil and worry of city life for the en-
joyment of that quiet and repose which a
suburban home affords. With the rate of
fare fixed at ten tickets for twenty-five cents
II would lead to a building up of the suburbs
that would give new life to suburban lines
by an increase of traffic as a result of taking
the poor from alley homes, yardless DWELL
ings and other living tombs to where they
would enjoy a pure, exhilarating, life-giviug
atmosphere and where their children would
have room for healthful exercise Traffic
would also be increased by the number who
would ride during hot spells for the luxury
Of the breeze II affords as well as for pleas
ure, who now often walk long distances and
ride only from necessity I am of the be-
lief, therefore, that as in the case Of lower
mail rates, two and half cent fare or ten
tickets for twenty-five cents would result in
greater revenues, improved service shorter
hours and better wages
The companies here have claimed that a
reduction OF the present rate would involve
them in ruin. but this fear results from
lack Of enterprise necessary to grasp the
advantages it holds out They claim, for
instance, that they could not reduce the rate
because this is not a manufacturing city.
which carries with it an intimation that if
1t was they could do so. Now it is true thar
the streets of Washington are not obstructed
with wagons bearing its manufactures as in
many other cities, but it should be borne in
mind that the various government depart
ments here are equal to mammoth factories
that differ only in turning out records in
stead of wares for which there is a CON
stantly increasing, never ending demand,
with trade centering here that cobwebs
the world to the most distant lands over
which Old Glory floats.
other advantages of those government
workshops are good pay, steady work and
short hours, without any of the drawbacks
resulting from strikes, lock outs, the em-
ployment of child labor, or any of the dis
tressing evils resulting from overproduction
X which street railway companies of other
cities have to share periodically Still an
other advantage street railway lines here
have over those of other cities is the small
area covered by the District, beyond which
the companies have a right to charge another
fare. II often happens, in fact, that three
fares are collected for distances covered in
other cities by one fare, therefore it will be
readily seen that the District of Columbia
is a veritable paradise for street railway en-
terprise, that the companies fears are
groundless and that the crying need of the
rate we propose is a gold mine, as 1t were
that needs but the shaft of confidence 10
make it pour forth its glitering treasure in
a manner to surprise all who are now with
in the arena of street railway enterprise,
many Of whom will be pushed aside in the
onward course of events just as the parsi-
monious fellows who managed antiquated
railways were brushed aside by the progress
sive spirit of others"
After reading this article a constitution
was adopted and the following officers were
elected; A. M. Raymond, President; A. M.
Raymond, ir., Secretary; Thomas A. Smith,
Treasurer; DR.. VIM. Mueller FIRST Vice-Pres-
ident; T. A. Rover. second Vice President;
VIM. Downey, third Vice-President; Thomas
J. Thompson, fourth Vice-President After
the election Of officers the meeting adj
journed subject to call by the president.
A royal feast was next in order to which
about one hundred ladies and the following
gentlemen were seated VIM. H. Brook, G
H. Davis, J. Murphy, T. +. Allen, Tim
O'Leary, VIM. Anderson, T. c. O'Connors
j. F. Birch, William O'Brien, ]. O'Connor,
j. f. O'Brien. VIM. c. Breen, VIM. H. Craw.
ford, ]. Connor, j. Edwards, William Fer
guson, ]. Gallagher, T Daley, D. Curry, ].
Gibson, Edward Davis, Frank Davis, Re-
Green, ]. Diggs, +. Dixon John Berry, w.
Bell, John Armstrong, r. Bradley, John
Crawford, William Anderson, ]. A. Adams,
William Campbell, ]. Boyle, c. Hall James
+. Donaldson, J. Snow, ]. Hawkins, E.
ToL,so,, Tarrau Z affary w nf.Ce Wen y