The Washington herald., 1908-07-03
PROMISE FAIR DEAL
District Railway Commits
siOners Outline Policy.
TO PROTECT ALL INTERESTS
Welfare of Citizens 10 he safe
guarded without Infringing on the
nIes-WIu Act I'm Advisory Capacity
TO Interstate Commerce Commission.

| To guard the interests OF the people
/ OF the District to the utmost degree
without crushing the railways. is to be
the policy OF the new District Electric
Railway. Commission, which is TO have
| supervision over the street railways OF
| the District
1 Bright and early yesterday morning.
/ following their appointment on Wednes-
/ day night, the new commission. consist
/ ing Of Gen John NJ. Wilson, president;
| Commissioner II. L. West. and Thomas
/ W. Smith. met for its first meeting.
| Two lines Of work will be undertaken
by the commission. Investigation Of COM
plants regarding street railway service
and suggestions of remedies to be en-
forced by their superior body. the Inter
state Commerce Commission. is the first.
| Preparation OF code OF regulations for
the city system. based on information
obtained from local railway managers
ana from other cities is the second.
At the melting yesterday general plans
Of carrying on the work were outlined.
and steps taken toward the obtaining of
the necessary information for the draw
business transacted was the adoption.
tentatively Of the old police regulations
regarding the movement Of street cars.
adoption of a regulation requiring cars
90 stop on the near side Of the street in
all sections Of the city. and provisions
made for the prosecutions in the police
court Of all violations Of the speed regu-
lations
Call for Car Schedules.
II was decided TO ask the heads Of the
city railways for schedules Of car service
showing particularly, the night service
As suggested by the Interstate Com
merce Commission. the new commission
will install its Offices IN the Westorv
Building. The next meeting is called for
Monday. July 6. at 10 o'clock.
BY virtue Of hls appointment first. Gen
Wilson was made chairman Of the COM
mission, and presided at the meeting yes
terday. For temporary secretary Harry
5 Garner Of the Interstate Commerce
commission. was appointed
Outside OF clerks, only one position un-
der the commission will be a salaried one
This will be an executive officer. who win
yesterday that the position had teen Of
fered 20 Mai. Charles Hine. receiver for
the Washington. Alexandria and Falls
Church Railway, but had been declined
After the meeting the commission
stopped 20 pay its respects to Chairman
Knapp Of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, and spent a few minutes with
him, talking over plans for the new body
Commissioner Vests Views.
Whe masked last night for a statement
concerning the commission Commissioner
West said
The suggestion that I should aid the
Interstate Commerce Commission in the
enforcement OF the new law relating 10
street railways I'm the District came 10
me as a complete surprise After Civ
ing the matter much thought. however
l accepted the position, believing It would
be possible to achieve practicable re-
suits.
"As l understand IT, the three citizens
chosen by the Interstate Commerce Com
mission are to act as an advisory come
mlttee 10 that body and will relieve the
commission II much, If not all. of the
work attendant upon the execution Of the
street railroad problem here 1 shall be
guided by a spirit Of fairness TO both the
public and the corporations. The latter
enjoy a monopoly Of the streets and pay
therefor a franchise tax which is not ex-
cessive.
In return for the privileges enjoyed
they should render the largest degree OF
public service consistent with a fair divi-
dent upon actual capital invested. The
public has a right TO demand and receive
this character Of service. but. on theother
hand. Il ought not 10 expect impossibili
ties Personally. l believe that model
street car system can he evolved heree,
and I am willing to do what I can 10
bring about that result"
My Mr. mcfarland.
The Commissioners views Of the ap-
pointment of this railway commission
were further expressed by Commissioner
Macfarland yesterday. when he said:
THE Interstate Commerce Commission
has acted most wisely In appointing this
board. The personnel OF the board. of
course. leaves nothing to be desired.
The street railway question is a purely
local one. and should be settled by Dis
trict men familiar with the conditions.
THE proposition recommended by the
District Commissioners to Congress, that
they should be clothed with the powers
of a public service commission TO deal
with all the public service corporations,
powers which they have had in some
measure. but not fully or effectively was,
we think. the best solution Of the whole
matter. The House OF Representatives
provided for the supervision of the rail.
ways by the Commissioners; the Senate
was apparently opposed to any super
vision, but finally accepted the Inter-
state Commerce Commission supervision
as a compromise"