Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-29
HOUSE ACTION CONDEMNED
Steps Taken to Enter Strong Protest
Before the Senate.
VIEWS OF LEADING CITIZENS
Proposed Law Regarded as Arbitrary
and Unjust-The Community in
Helpless Condition.

| veritable hornets nest has been st;rred
up in business Washington by the passage
| by the House yesterday of bill 1887. en-
titled "A bill to protect the streets of
| washington" 1t provides that on and
AFTER January 1, 1908, every wagon or
other vehicle of whatsoever kind or de-
scription. weighing when loaded more than
1000 pounds" used on the streets of this
city, Shall have wheel tires not less than
| four inches broad.
| 1t is claimed by vehicle owners generally
that this bill If it passes the Senate and
becomes law will impose an unnecessary
| and tyrannical hardship on the business
| community.
In order to properly present a strong pro-
| test to the Senate steps We're taken today
| to call a meeting of business men and 9TH
ers to enter strong objection TO the bill
becoming a law.
Such arbitrary action by Congress and
| the imposition of such law upon a help
| less community" said Mr.. Newbold, presi-
dent of the Merchants Transfer and Stor-
! age Company, strongly emphasizes the
necessity for the election of a representa-
| tive from the District of Columbia TO Con-
gress to properly represent our interests
| there. This city has too long been ex-
detrimental ground for the exploiting Of
| every passing fad and fancy that finds
| favor in the mind of some representative
| whose district and interests are both re-
mote from here. To comply with the re-
quirements of the bill that passed the
House yesterday would practically mean
| the reconstruction of more than one-half
of the business wagons in the District. 1t
will be a good thing for the big vehicle
manufacturing plants in the middle west
and elsewhere, but VIII mean an imposition
| involving a great and useless expenditure
| of money on the part of the local business
men.
Hope in Sober Second Thought.
1 he nv Mr. oil
| We're general in commercial circles here to-
| day. and the hope was expressed on all
| sids that should the bill reach the Senate
! the sober second thought will prevail there
| snd the proposed act fail of passage
Mr.. Newbold and other leading BUSH
ness men declared that there has been
| no demand for the passage of such a
| trict Commissioners, and at least one
merchant said the bill appeared to be n
pet measure of Chairman Babcock of
the sHouse committee on the District
of Columbia, and because of the opposl-
ton to it he had determined to ride
| roughshod over the wishes of the COM
mercial community and bring about It's
passage anyway"
1t was also said the Senate will be
| shown that the sentiment of the COM
mercial men of the District is not largely
| in favor of the measure, as was stated
| in the House yesterday, but that it is al
| most unanimously against the bill which
was CHlS afternoon given the amended
| title of Babcocks juggernaut act"
There is no justice, sense or good in
the bill" was the heated exclamation of
a local merchant this afternoon.
| William A Halliday of the Illinois Asphalt
| Company of Chicago pointed to the patch
| of concrete on the east Capitol plaza and
| declared that Mr.. Babcock and the other
| faddists' of the House had object les
| son right before their eyes as to the WELL
known fact that when concrete roadways
| are used but little they disintegrate, crack
cI,,ly Il Il,I tI,t
| lice are so careful of this particular patch
| that they will hardly permit nurses to haul
| their baby carriages over It, and yet it has
become an eyesore in it's unsightlness be-
cause of its non-use.
He also called attention to the condition
of the roadways in the Capitol parks In
which heavily-laden vehicles are not per-
! mitted to come, compared with those of
! the streets of the city that are used by
| vehicles both heavy and light.
Mr.. Newbold said that the bill, should it
every business house in the District. Many
of the larger wagons, he added, weigh more
| than 1000 pounds unloaded.
Mr.. Rixey Protests.
Representative Rixey of Virginia, who
| is strongly opposed to the measure, mas
| received letters from the mayors of Phil
| adelphia, Baltimore. Richmond and Nor
| folk, cities that are nearest Washington,
and he says not in a single one of them
| is there any regulation in regard to the
| width of tires" The mayor of Philadel-
| phia declared very pointedly that he did
not regard such regulations as necessary.
Mr.. Perry Johnson, who has made
study of this matter, agrees with Mr..
Newbold that there is no sense, reason
| or good in the 'Babcock juggernaut BILL"
| He recently submitted to the District COM
mittee of the House a statement that by
expert testimony that we herewith r, pr seag
| for, we show that the enforcement OF tnls
| measure will be more damaging to the
asphalt streets of the city than benehcial.
| The paving companies now give guar
| anty which is made good by large deposits
| of money in the hands of the DISTRICT
Commissioners, to make good all defects
| in the concrete paving for term or hve
| years. and these. companies further beg TO
| state herewith that the enforcement of this
| measure will necessitate their making
| bids that will cost the District greater
| expenditure, in view of the law when
| compels them to guarantee the work LOT
II appears that in passing the Babcock
| wide-tire bill the House not only Ignored
| the opinion of the District commissioner,
| but also strong memorials against the
measure from the Board of Trade and the
business Mems Association and these
things will be set forth at meeting or
business men soon to be held. Some of the
opponents of the measure are In favor OF
requesting President Roosevelt TO withnoid
his signature from the bill should the Sem
| ate pass 1t, 1t Is said.
Expresses His Views.
Representative Rixey, in discussing the
matter said:
Il think have shown that the only peo-
pie in favor of this provision. or rather the
parties who have suggested it, are the
members of the District committee them
selves And how do they represent the
wishes Of the people Of the District OF Co
lumbia? i say IL Is just such legislation as
this that has built up public sentiment 10
the effect that the District of Columbia
ought to be governed by its mayor and city
council or have a representative and voice
upon this floor The condition is worse now
than 1t was eight or ten years ago.
Now, let US see how 1t works. Who con-