The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-04
PUBLIC MEN DISCUSS
THREE-CENT FARE
BILL
Majority of Them Favor Re
duction Of Present Street
Car Fare for Laboring
Classes During Certain
Hours Of Morning and
Evening.


stance of a special council committee,
a bill was drafted and introduced in
the legislature permitting common
councils to fix the maximum rates to
be charged by any public service cor
poration operating under a franchise
or charter. While broad in it's Ian
guage, it was really directed at plac-
ing st. Paul and any other city that de-
sired to take advantage of it, in a posi-
ton to make 3 cents the maximum
price to be charged for a ride on a
street car line.
The bill was introduced by Repre-
sentative Hickey by request and ad-
vanced to general orders, but later
Representative Tighe, stating that he
was ignorant of it's purpose, had the
act referred to the Hennepin, Ramsey
and st. Louis delegations and there it
lies today.
The bill, drawn by former Corpora
ton Attorney Markham and fathered
by Assemblyman Arnold was the Gull
mination Of a long line of effort and
was really for the purpose Of supply
ing-what some contended did not exist
on the city's part-the right to regulate
the fare on the lines of the st. Paul
City Railway company. Assemblyman
Arnold made it a campaign issue and
was so insistent in his demands that
the committee named to act with him
gave the consent to the measure. They
were agreed that a lower rate of fare,
during certain hours of the day, if
nothing more, would be a concession
and to that end directed their efforts.
How st. Paul and it's lawmakers, it's
business men, members of the legisla-
ture and county officials view the broad
scheme of a Scent fare is best told in
the following expressions Of opinion:
View of the Mayor.
Mayor SMITH believe in a Scent
fare for school children and the work.
ing classes. When the street car COM
pany was given a franchise L advocated
such a scheme, but it was not adopted.
I stand for anything that will benefit
the public.
Assemblyman Whitcomb = Put me
down for a Scent fare every time.
wanted to introduce an ordinance in
the council at one time making cents
the fare during certain hours of the
day, but when I approached the off,
Gals of the company they would not
stand for it. Without their aid 1 knew
nothing could be done. and L. dropped
the matter temporarily. The PROPOSE
ton will certainly receive my aid.
Aid. Moriarty-I am for a 3-cent fare
and will give it my vote If the propo-
ysition ever reaches the council. 1t
would be Of great benefit to the work.
ing, classes, and L do not think would
make. any material cut in the revenues
of the street car company.
Assemblyman Schurmeier-A Scent
street car fare meets with my APP
prevail. IF 1 was sure we had the au-
thority, would not wait for the legisE
lature, but would push it now.
Aid. Hinllens- stand for the people,
and If a Scent fare will help them it
can have my vote every time.
Aid. DahlquiSt-It would undOubted-
ly be a grand thing for the working
classes and the school children.
scent fare during certain hours of
the day has been tried in other cities,
and l am certain it would be of great
benefit to st. Paul.
City Clerk Matt Jensen-Three cents
for a street car ride seems small, but
it is just like rent to some people, and
is figured by them on the same basis.
To have such a fare during certain
hours of the day would be a big ad-
vertisement for st. Paul, and would
materially aid-in building up our sub
urbs. l favor it.
Aid. Buschmann-My vote can be
counted on for a Scent fare if it ever
comes my way. 1 believe it would be
of great benefit to the people. More
would ride and the companys receipts
would not suffer to any great extent.
Legislators Express Opinions.
The members of the Ramsey house
delegation for the most part express
themselves as generally in favor Of
n n CTR 20 tac nJ,r
luations. All of them, however, with
the exception of Mr.. Hickey, assert
that they know nothing about the
pending bill, which they say they have
not seen nor had an opportunity to
examine.
Mr.: Tighe, who had the bill taken
from general orders and referred to
the Ramsey, Hennepin and st. Louis
delegations, declines to express an
opinion as to the merits of the bill.
Yesterday he said, in explanation of his
action touching the re-reference of the
bill:
Last week I was approached by a
member Of the delegation and asked If
L would consent to introduce such
bill. l replied that 1 certainly Should
not knowing anything about it's pro-
visions more than the information con-
tanned in the general statement that it
was for the purpose Of securing a g.
cent car fare. l was absent Saturday
afternoon, and Sunday morning I was
informed by telephone that such a bill
had been introduced and advanced to
general orders. My object in having it
referred to the delegations was that, in
all fairness, interested parties on both
sides might have a hearing. On the
merits Of the measure / shall decline
to commit myself until I have had an
opportunity to learn something of the
facts A hearing might show that the
proposed reduction might be unrea-