Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-21
TAKEN UP IN THE HOUSE
Little Comprehension of Committee
Bill Shown.
COST OF UNIVERSAL TRANSFERS
Mr.. Hepburn Asks for Information.
Mr.. Sims Discusses Financial
Statistics.

The Union station permanent trackage
/ bill slipped it's mooring at the District
committee dock at half-past Il today and
sailed out into the House. The water
was smooth at first, except when Repre-
sentative Hepburn of Iowa. who was on hand
early with a stack Of papers and deter
mined expire SsiOn. splashed a little wave
or two over Pilot Sammy Smith of Michi-
gan, who undertook to explain the eight
eenth section of the House measure.
| This took a full hour, as most Of the
| eighty-odd members the floor wanted
to ask questions about the various fea-
lures of the bill, particularly those with
reference to trackage and universal trans
fers. 1t was expected that much larger
attendance would be on hand. as most
members of the House ride in street cars
| and not automobiles, but when the time
| came for them to get down to business
and try to turn out an intelligent bill-siv-
! ing aid and assistance in the way of study
and advice on the f1OOr-they disappeared
from the floor an:: into the cloakrooms
and corridors and offices of the Capitol
! like leaves before the wind.
Most of the eighty-odd members re-
naming didn't know what it was all
about. They had a faint general i'm
preston. or seemed to. have, that the Dis
trict of Columbia committee had brought
out a bill intended to do something or
other to the street car companies of
| Washington. but a few of them didn't
seem to know whether the measure was
to authorize new tracks, free rides or the
use of New Orleans molasses instead of
electricity as motive power. And conse-
quently they took up lot of time asking
a lot of questions that they could have
answered to their infinite satisfaction
tion measure. Some members were not
so inconsiderate. however. Among the
latter class was Representative Kennedy
of Ohio. who, with his feet on the desk in
front of him and his hands clasped over
the watch charm that dangled on his ex-
pansive waistcoat. slept sweetly during
the greater part of Mr.. Smiths elucida-
ton.
Effect Of Universal Transfers.
About the only question asked during
the course of Mr.. Smiths explanation
that had any latent intelligence concealed
within it was one put by Representative
Hepburn. Referring to the universal
transfer clause in the bill Mr.. Hep
burn wanted to know how the COM
mittee had come to put 1t in. whether
the committee had secured accurate and
reliable information with regard to the
earnings. net and gross. of the local trac-
ton companies: whether the committee
had any assurance that the new rate OF
compensation Tor the 0duIlnS Oh pdSSeI-
gers which would be made by the ur1iver-
sal transfer enactment would not be
confiscatory. and whether the committee
thought the universal transfer provision
would he upheld by the courts.
Replying to Mr.. Hepburn. Mr.. Smith
admitted frankly that ne was in the dark
He didn't know. The committee didn't
know.
.It would be all right. Il am certain
with regard to the Capital Traction Com
t. s1,.,t not
sure about the Washington Railway and
Electric Company. The finances Of that
company are not in as good condition as
the finances of the Capital Traction.
don't know whether the courts would
uphold the universal transfer as COM
pensatory or not. But we never will
know until we try the experiment.
Mr.. Sims Discusses Figures.
Representative Sims of Tennessee pf
the District committee next took the
floor to give his views concerning the
bill Mr.. Sims. who has always ex
pressed great interest in the financial
condition of the Washington Railway
and Electric Company. devoted most of
| his remarks to the universal transfer
clause He went into an elaborate re-
cital Of the financial condition Of the
Companies subsidiary to the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company and
read from reports of all these roads. as
we'll from the report OF the Capltal
Traction Company for 1907. He secuted
the idea that either one of the two main
companies would be forced into the
hands of a receiver or even temporarily
embarrassed financially by the enact
ment of the universal transfer clause.
Mr. Sims went into great details on all
these matters, and by the tim" lie was
half through his remarks the eighty
odd members who were on land had
dwindled to about forty-odd. But those
who were left showed considerable in
terest in Mr.. Sims narrative.
Mr. Sims criticised the crowded condi-
tions on the 18th street line and re-
ferred sarcastically to the Pennsyi-
vania avenue line. whose service. he
said. consisted OF little car III front
and a little less behind"
Mr. Sims said he hoped the reported
consolidation of the Capital Traction
Company and the Washington Railway
and Electric Company would come off
on schedule time in the near tuture. as
| he thought it would be splendid thing,
both for the railroads and the public.
He urged the enactment Of section IL
Of the bill. which gives the District
Commissioners authority to make regu-
lations concerning schedules, number Of
cars and their condition. etc.
He opposed Representative snackie-
ford's proposed amendment providing
| for 3-ce.t fares. The enactment Of such
a law. Mr.. Sims said. would work hard J..
ship on both the local traction companies.
Madden Expresses Congratulations.
At the close Of Mr.. Sims remarks Req
resentative Madden of Illinois who start
| ed the agitation for universal transfers
| at The last session Of Congress. congratu-
lated the House District committee on the
bill it had brought in. The committee.
Mr. Madden said, had begun it's work
| under difficulties The bill was broad
and comprehensive. he thought. and gave
| TO the people of the District better condt-
tions in the way of passenger transpor-
| tation than had heretofore existed. The
! measure was a long step in the right dl-
rection. He thought the House should
/ give the District committee vote of
confidence by passing the bill in its en-
| tirety.
| Mellen to See the President.
NEW HAVEN. Conn. February 2i.--