The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-03
THREE-CENT FARES.



the evening.
Mr.. Sims. of Tennessee, made a spirited
speech in support Of the 3-cent fare He
=aid he favored universal transfers, but
II the majority thought Scent fares should
be required he would gladly support that
proposition. "The street railway corpora
lions of this city will do nothing In ODE
dience to public sentiment. They will do
nothing that they are not compelled TO do
They did not put on vestibules for their
men until we made them do it.
Mr.. Sims said the stockholders had not
built the road. The people who use II had
done that The franchises, he declared,
had cost the stockholders absolutely moth
ing, and were now held at fabulous values.
The fluctuations Of street railway stocks
in washington. ranging from the low
price of a cents few years ago for Cap
itaI Traction 10 AZ, the present quotation,
showed how great the value Of the fran
chise was. The people were at the mercy
Of the roads he declared
Mr.. Sims devoted some time to the af-
fairs Of the Washington Traction Conn
panv. which ne said complained 1t did not
make any money. but still held on 10 its
franchises and prevented any one else
from giving the public good service. lie
said the owners probably thought they
would make money. as those who bought
CapitaI Traction stock at d and held on
to fl until now it was l4l.
Mr.. Samuel W Smith, Of Iowa, the
ranking Republican on the House Dis
trict Committee. who is expected TO be
come Mr.. Babcock's successor as chair
man In the Sixtieth Congress. spoke
against 3-cent fares. He said the amend
ment dealt with values. and there was
Ia n no
thought Il would be wise to go SLOW
Crime TO Deny Facilities.
Mr. Hepburn said the Washington 2 H.
wav and Electric Company. comprising
thirteen subordinate roads, IL IL was un-
able 70 earn a profit WAS at least Occu-
pyinC an enormous trackage with a poor
service
when I ride 1 have to stand, % said Mr.
Hepburn. Il counted twenty-four stand
ing in my car to-day; nineteen between
the seats. and The rest on the platforms
All men and women who pay fares and
are made TO stand are not getting a
square deal from these roads. In my
opinion # is crime to make people pay
for what they do not receive. Make II a
crime. 7 say. to take compensation for
what the company does not give the pua-
lie. They say. Walk. II you don't want
to ride But there are some who can
walk. They pay for the privilege OF
riding. They should have the right to
ride III they nav for IT, Some one in my
hearing SAYS. sneeringly, Do you propose
to shoot. or to hang the presidents Of the
/ street railway company" Neither; but 70
make men serve the public fairly. 70 give
those facilities that common honesty and
/ decency require they should
/ Mr. Babcock said last year the cost Of
carrying a passenger by the Capital Trac-
/ ton Company was ~ cents, and on the
I Washington Traction Company line rs
/ cents. Three-cent fares would be con-
/ hscating. in his opinion
Has any man under the solemnity Of
an oath made report which supports
the statement you make2' demanded
Hepburn of Babcock.
Eyes. there has" replied Babcock. but
/ he did not name the individual
/ Il would Ike 30 have a half-hOur's in
/ terview with that man whoever he may
be" retorted Hepburn obviously.
! The question was put on the rule to con-
slider and carried by an overwhelming
/ standing vote.
BrOad-tire Law Killed.
J Mr. Williams. Of Mississippi. made the
/ point of order that the House amendment
to section l3, the broad-tire bill, was not
! germane.
| The Speaker quick as fash brought
down his gavel and declared the point Of
order was sustained. That knocked the
| smoke law out without "a vote on It,
/ Mr.. Perkins. Of New York. asked for
La separate vote on the Scent fare amend
ment from that providing that every pas
senger shall have a seat
/ Mr.. Babcock said that was the mean
/ ing Of the rule that had been adopted
/ by the House.
/ The Speaker held that the amendments
I were dWisible Mr. Hepburn urged that
/ they were not Invisible. that the prohibit
/ ton as 10 charging a fare applied to both
! amendments.
The Speaker persisted that there were
I two propositions. and ordered that the
! Scent fare be voted on separately.
! The Scent fare, as follows, was then
/ read by the clerk:
Sec. Is. That from and after the pas
I sage Of this act, the rate Of fare that may
/ be charged for the transportation OF
/ passengers over any and all street rail
/ way mes IN the DlSITlct or Columbia
| shall not exceed cents, good for one
| continuous transportation Of one pas
senger over the whole or any part Of the
line Of such street railway company ovel
which tickets are sold"
The yeas and nays were demanded by
/ Mr.. Babcock and the demand withdrawn
The standing vote resulted il yeas and
103 nays. The call for yeas and nays va,
renewed and the roll call showed IA
yeas and 102 nays.
The clause providing a penalty Of $50
fine for violations Of the law was los
by a viva voce vote, the friends Of III,
amendment not seeming 70 understand
what the vote was. Thus the cOmmitte,
substitute as amended. by the Scent far.
amendment was put on its passage with
out the penalty clause attached, anC
passed by III to 81.
The Record of the Vote.
The yeas We're as follows:
Adams0n, Aiken, Bankhead, Bartlett Beal Bell
Birdsal, Bowers, Brantley Br1mm. Rrundige
Burke Of South Dakota. Burleson, Burnett. Burton
Of Delaware, Calder CLANCY. Chapman Clark O
Missouri Clayton. Cooper Of Wisconsin. Cromer
Guslman Davey. Dawson, De Almond. Dickson o